Klopp insists tie is not over, backs Liverpool to recover
Juergen Klopp insists Liverpool are still firmly in contention for a place in the Champions League quarter-finals despite their dour 0-0 draw against Bayern Munich at home yesterday morning (Singapore time).
Klopp's side were frustrated by a disciplined Bayern display in the first leg of the last-16 tie at Anfield.
The usually free-scoring Reds now face a daunting task in the second leg at the Allianz Arena on March 13.
Bundesliga champions Bayern have lost only two of their last 26 home Champions League games, winning 22 of those.
But Liverpool boss Klopp is convinced his side have nothing to fear in Germany.
"The positive is, of course, the result is OK, the best draw we can get. Yes we can play better, we should play better," the German said.
"The tie is not over. We said that. We had to create the basis tonight that we can use in the second leg.It was a big fight. We had the bigger chances. It's not a dream result, but it is a good one.
" We can work with that."
Liverpool's progress to last season's Champions League final was marked by a series of swaggering displays at Anfield.
But Klopp admitted the disciplined Bayern defence had kept Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane in check.
"It was not a day when we clicked in the first minute. Bayern are physically very strong and it was difficult to come through," he said.
"We made our lives more difficult with the last pass today.
"I don't know how often, at least 10 times there was a promising situation or a good counter-attack. We immediately shot into their legs, it doesn't make much sense."
Bayern coach Niko Kovac warned they must finish the job.
He said: "Everyone was there for the other and you can see that, if we have a structure in our game, it's hard to score against us. We have reached our goal and earned a draw, now we have to see that we finish the job at home."
Bayern defender Mats Hummels said: "The goal was to slow down Liverpool's three forwards. We now have a situation where we can progress with a home win and no team is ever happy to come to Munich." - AFP
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