Joel Matip: It's time for Liverpool to prove they belong in Europe's elite
JOEL MATIP has called on Liverpool to get themselves back into the Champions League group stages – so he can enjoy the special feeling of regular European nights at Anfield.
Liverpool star Joel Matip looks forward to European greatness
Matip is set to play his first European home game for the club tonight as they seek to progress past Hoffenheim in the second leg of their play-off tie.
The defender watched on television as Liverpool launched an extraordinary comeback from two goals down to beat Borussia Dortmund 5-4 on aggregate in a memorable Europa League quarter-final two seasons ago.
He made his move to Anfield from Schalke in the summer of 2015 having heard all the stories of the great European victories in front of the Kop, from David Fairclough seeing off Saint-Etienne in 1977 to Steven Gerrard’s Champions League group-stage heroics against Olympiakos in December 2004.
Now Matip wants to experience it all for himself, and believes it is time for Liverpool to show they belong at the top table of European football once again.
He said: “We worked hard the whole of last year for this opportunity. It’s a result of our hard work and we see it as an opportunity.
“Every one of us wants to play in the Champions League. They all want to stand on the field and not watch it on television.
Every one of us wants to play in the Champions League
Liverpool star Joel Matip
“The tradition of this club means they’ve had a lot of European nights. I want to be a part of this. The atmosphere is going to be something special against Hoffenheim.”
Liverpool are favourites going into tonight’s second leg, having won 2-1 in Germany eight days ago.
However, they have qualified for the Champions League group stages just once since Rafa Benitez left Anfield in 2010, and Matip is aware just what a big step an aggregate win tonight will represent – and what a test Hoffenheim will present.
He said: “We know we have a good situation after the first leg but the fact that no German team has ever won at Anfield won’t help us.
“We have to fight on the pitch. If we perform the way we can then we know we can go through to the next round.”
Hoffenheim were a little unlucky not to get a draw out of last week’s first leg, and midfielder Kerem Demirbay has even suggested that his team play better football than Liverpool.
But manager Jurgen Klopp is not bothered about the quality of the game tonight – only that his team are in the Champions League group stages at the end of it.
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Klopp said: “I don’t think about this at all. It’s not ice skating where judges decide on the beauty. You are playing football and what matters is winning.
“I do like Kerem. He’s an excellent player but he knows like me that football is not all about beauty.”
Klopp rested several key players for last Saturday’s 1-0 Premier League home win over Crystal Palace to keep them fresh for tonight’s match.
Mohamed Salah, Dejan Lovren, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Alberto Moreno are all set to be restored to the starting line-up, while Emre Can should also play after recovering from a cold.
Klopp is fully aware of the significance of tonight’s game, and called on the fans to play their part.
He said: “Everyone who wants this needs to do their job tomorrow. I can guarantee the boys will fight for everything.
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“It does not mean we will do it, but it means we will fight for it. I hope we will show the world what we are able to do.”
Hoffenheim do have Premier League experience in their ranks, as striker Andrej Kramaric had a stint at Leicester and defender Havard Nordveidt – who scored an own goal in last week’s first leg after coming off the bench – spent last season at West Ham.
Julian Nagelsmann – who was the youngest boss in Bundesliga history when he took charge in October 2015 – only turned 30 last month, but insists he will not be overawed.
“I’m not in awe,” Nagelsmann said: “We are good enough not to have to hide here. We know this is a great club with a great history, but my feeling is excitement.”
