Villarreal winger Arnaut Danjuma has warned Liverpool it is no 'coincidence' Unai Emery's side have reached the semi-finals of this year's Champions League.
The two teams will go head-to-head this evening in the first leg of their European tie, having previously met at this stage of the Europa League during the 2015/16 campaign. On that occasion, it was Liverpool who came out on top to book their place in the final of the competition.
Despite being the underdogs against Liverpool once again, the Spanish side have already got the better of Bayern Munich and Juventus in the previous knockout knocks and will have hopes of producing a third upset en route to Paris.
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Their success in the tournament may have come as a surprise to some, but Danjuma has made clear Villarreal always had belief in their ability to exceed expectations.
"Maybe the rest of the world didn't expect us to get this far, but we have always been confident, he said. "Our path to the semis was not easy, which makes it even better, but you don't beat the teams we have beaten by coincidence, which is a good sign for us before facing Liverpool - another giant and one of the best clubs in the world.
"We showed against Juve and Bayern that it's not luck. We have a strategy - a style of play. Juve and Bayern are two totally different teams. Juventus are one of the best defensive teams in the world, while Bayern have some of the best forwards in the world and play very attacking football. For us to be able to beat them showed our quality and strategy. With Liverpool, we know what we will face."
With 16 goals and four assists in all competitions this term, Danjuma is a player who is reportedly beginning to attract transfer interest from a number of European sides. Liverpool are one of the teams to have been tentatively linked with the Dutchman, who is no stranger to the Reds' style of play.
"The two things that amaze me [about Liverpool] are the intense high press - they do that so well - and the high defensive line. As a forward, it is so great to have a high defensive line behind you because it keeps you high up the pitch," the former Bournemouth winger told ESPN.
"I want to play against the best to prove myself and test myself against the best. That's why I play this game. Obviously playing against Virg will be special for me because he is my captain in the national team," he added of the Reds' No.4. "Defensively, I don't think it gets any better than him, but I want to rank myself against the best. I think I've shown so far in my career that I can cause some damage. I have to keep doing it and be consistent, so I'm looking forward to a game against someone of his profile."
