For Liverpool, there is at least recent history on their side. Kind of.
No-one, not even the most optimistic of their fans, gave them a chance when they were 3-0 down to Barcelona in that epic Champions League semi of 2019. But the miracle of Anfield duly unfolded.
This time, it’s even harder, because they trail to Real Madrid by the same deficit, and must attempt to overturn it in the Bernabeu. Impossible? Well that glorious night against Barca shows that anything is possible.
As Jurgen Klopp says, “It is football, anything is possible.”
That message has got through to his team. As Fabinho explained before facing the club where he started his career in Europe as a young pro with Madrid’s second team, keeping a positive mindset is key.
“It is important to have the mindset that anything is possible for a game like this, because we have nothing to lose. Everyone expects Real Madrid to win and this can be good for us,” he said.
“Everyone expects them to be in the next stage. But the Barcelona game was the game where we were 3-0 down and changed it in the second game.
“Of course that was at Anfield, but we know it is possible because of that. We have to believe that.”
Klopp wants his team to believe too. He wants them to trust in the gameplan which saw them rock Madrid in the first leg, but execute it a damn sight better.
“I didn’t see a massive problem with our plan from the first game, we just didn’t defend the counter attacks in the second half well enough,” he explained. “So that has to change.
“Even with Madrid’s attack, the only problem from our point of view were the counter attacks in the second half.
“So from a tactical point of view we have to be super active without the ball, our press must be absolutely outstanding, and with all the risk we must take we have to make sure the counter attacks we have to avoid them as well.
“So it is massive task. But we are here and we will give it everything.”
Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti joked that the pressure was on his side as Liverpool have nothing to lose, but Klopp responded by joking he would take the pressure of a three goal lead!
And he said the game plan was simple: don’t think about scoring four, but just winning, and see what leading provokes in the home mindset.
“If we get one we only need two! He said with a smile in response to the plan. “But look, we are here to play an extremely strong opponent and just try to win the game. As difficult as it is, that is possible.
“Not likely but possible and for that we are here and then we will see where it will lead us to.”
