PSG manager Thomas Tuchel spoke in length about Jurgen Klopp during his pre-game press-conference.
Tonight, PSG host Liverpool at the Parques des Prince in what’s the biggest Champions League game of both of our seasons so far. A Liverpool win will see PSG knocked out, while a PSG victory will require us to beat Napoli by two goals on the final day in order to progress.
The likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe are fit to start for the home side, while Sadio Mane has been passed fit following an illness and should line up alongside Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah for us.
Tuchel is expecting a serious battle against a side who won 3-2 last time out at Anfield.
“I’m not surprised by their performance overall. Jurgen does an unbelievable job, he is an unbelievable trainer and you can see his input and his achievement in three and a half years,” Tuchel told a news conference cited by Goal.
“If you search for the word ‘team’, you end up with Liverpool because they really play as one under Jürgen Klopp in every single game.
“He has lost only one key player I think, [Philippe] Coutinho, and spent an awful lot of money. He did an awfully good job to put this machine on the pitch every three days.
“At the same time, we have the feeling that in away games we can get it and it’s proven. I’m pretty sure it will be a different Liverpool side than in Belgrade [when the Reds lost 2-0 earlier this month].
“Not like in terms of who plays, in the mental aspect, maybe it can happen, you feel like five per cent too sure that you’re the better side, and the first shot is in from the other side.”
We really hope Tuchel is right and we do see a different side than the one who faced Red Star earlier in November!
On that night, we were hopeless in midfield and failed to defend with any heart for the two goals we let in.
There will be no doubt the players will be up for the PSG tie tonight, however.
Klopp will pick his strongest XI – with the only question being whether he’ll go with a 4-3-3 or the 4-2-3-1 that has seen us create chances more easily this season.
We think away from home against one of the best sides in the world, the former is more likely.