Despite injuries and a shaky start to the new Premier League season, Liverpool legend John Barnes believes the Reds are in a "better place than most sides in Europe" with their squad.
Liverpool kickstart their Champions League campaign on Wednesday night as Jurgen Klopp 's side fly to Italy to take on Napoli before facing Ajax and Rangers in group A.
The Reds welcomed back Diogo Jota during Saturday's Merseyside derby while Thiago Alcantara returned to training ahead of their Champions League clash in Naples.
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This is the third time in recent seasons that Liverpool have been drawn alongside Napoli in the Champions League group stage and the Italian side have beaten the Reds on both occasions in Italy.
“They’re (Liverpool) in a better place than most European clubs in terms of the squad they actually have. And it’s early days," Barnes said to BonusCodeBets.
“Yes we’ll play in the Champions League but I’m sure they’ll be able to cope with it in the group stages.”
“Obviously you want all your players fit but they still have good enough players to perform well. So, I am not worried about them in the Champions League or the Premier League.”
Napoli currently sit second in Serie A and are without loss in the five games they have faced in the new season. Barnes knows Wednesday night will be a huge test for Liverpool.
"Absolutely (when asked if Napoli will be tough opponents). Italian teams are always hard, physically. They’re normally very good defensively," added Barnes.
“What we’ve seen in the past, Liverpool playing against Inter Milan, playing against Napoli, that they’ve dealt with them. Obviously they’ve dealt with them when they’ve been playing well and playing confidently.”
“So it’s gonna be, probably, a harder game than it would have been a few years ago because of the injuries that Liverpool have. But they have to get on with it, this is life.”
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