In Thursday’s Europa League quarterfinal match at Anfield, Liverpool will face Atalanta, a “super-disciplined” club, according to manager Jurgen Klopp.
In the previous round, Atalanta defeated Sporting Lisbon of Portugal. However, in their last nine matches across all competitions, they have managed just two victories.
However, Liverpool will face challenges from Atalanta, coached by Gian Piero Gasperini, a long-serving head coach, according to Klopp.
“Only great teams remain in the competition,” Klopp stated during Wednesday’s pre-match press conference.
What Atalanta stands for is quite clear, and it’s truly remarkable. It has always been tough to play against Italian teams, and Gasperini has done an outstanding job there for a long time.
“Tactically, they’re super disciplined and super dangerous in a lot of areas, so we have to be at our best to get into the next round over these two legs.”
When asked about the possibility of starting Diogo Jota, Trent Alexander-Arnold, or Alisson Becker against Atalanta during Klopp’s final season at Anfield, all three players had been out with injuries since February.
“Clearly, we took our time with the boys,” Klopp stated. That indicates they put in a lot of time training alone. Diogo and Trent have been training together for two or three weeks now, and they’re doing a great job. Yesterday, on Tuesday, it was excellent.
Reintegrating the guys is never easy, but the Germans said that it would be simpler with their quality and that they would put them to use in the next few days and weeks. I haven’t yet decided what tomorrow’s implications will be.
At the same time, midfielder Harvey Elliott of Liverpool said he was prepared to start instead of being considered a substitute.
Elliott, who is 21 years old, expressed his desire to be the player who leaves the field instead of the one who comes on.
“I want to emphasize that I am truly appreciative of every opportunity to play in a Liverpool shirt, and that includes getting on the pitch. However, at the moment, my focus is only on improving my performance and solidifying my place in the team.
I feel the need to start taking responsibility for my life on my own now that I’m no longer a child; I’m a man, and I’m maturing fast. If that is the case, we will have to knock on the gaffer’s door. However, I must also remember to remain patient and wait for my opportunities to present themselves.
