Liverpool cannot afford to give a fuss about European tie against the Catalan giants just ahead of Newcastle United, says Klopp, Liverpool manager.
He insists that Liverpool cannot afford to be distracted by a rather disappointing Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona as they make their way to Newcastle United.
Liverpool was thrashed 3-0 at the Camp Nou temple on Wednesday, making it a very huge challenge for Klopp’s men ahead of the second-leg fixture at Anfield next week.
But the Reds must first defeat Newcastle so that they can keep their English Premier League title challenge alive, playing at the St James’ Park just two days before first-placed Manchester City host Leicester City.
Klopp is very confident that his team – a draw behind Manchester City heading into the weekend – will maintain their focus.
He told a news conference, “We never really stay too long in the last game. ‘We could have done this better, that better’? We don’t have time for it.
“Two things you could think about the game was the result and the performance. From the performance, we can take a lot. From the result, at the moment, you cannot take a lot.
“But it’s not like this. We have to sort that – or try to sort that – on Tuesday and not now. When we flew home, it was all OK. The boys were all completely in the Newcastle game, 100 per cent.
Back to @premierleague action on Saturday.
Up the Reds. pic.twitter.com/qxYH57oMK8
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 2, 2019
“Now we have like 20 hours to recover. We will have one session really and then we will try to prepare them for Newcastle, which is important. It will be a different game.
“It’s not new to us. We quite often have these situations in the last part of the season. That’s what we know, that’s what we want. It’s all good.”
Although Klopp expects the Magpies to make for an uncomfortable opponent, much has been made of Rafael Benitez, former Liverpool manager having a decisive say in the title race as Newcastle boss.
“It’s a tough one. Newcastle is in a very good moment,” he said. “Rafa and Newcastle obviously felt they were still fighting to stay in the league – since then, they’ve impressed, won quite a few games in the past weeks.
“They’re in a very comfortable situation and have found a proper style of play, consistent. After we played them, I think they changed the system to a 5-4-1. They stick to that.
“The positions are always really well covered. They’ve got [Salomon] Rondon up front, [Ayoze] Perez will probably be fit again, [Christian] Atsu and Kenedy on the wings, the wing-backs are quick and play early crosses.
“That’s really good. It makes them pretty uncomfortable to play, especially away at Newcastle. I expect a tough game. That’s it.”
Liverpool, however, didn’t have Roberto Firmino play from the inception against Barca as a result of an ankle knock and Klopp only had to say, “we will see” about his status this weekend.