Topic: UEFA Champions League. Klopp's got a semi

[mattD]

It’s just mere indifference I will have towards them when we face them both. They’ve both acted thoroughly unprofessional, immature and just downright pathetic at times when they were here, which means that they won’t receive the adulation of a real pro like, say, Xabi Alonso.

I’ll never love them and I’ll never look out for their careers post-Liverpool, but they both certainly did a job for us here and for that I will always respect them.

[Gitsy606]

I thought giving ex players a good reception was something we are well known for, regardless of the game. Like when opposing gk’s get applauded by the Kop?

I appreciate the reasons some don’t receive it so I guess some will feel more harshly toward Coutinho. In some ways it may be a moot point outside of the team being read out unless they are subbed. Can’t recall our crowd booing players throughout a game very often. We seem to have a way of being respectful but creating a hostile and intimidating atmosphere on these occasions better than anyone though.

Sterling?

[duvva 💅]

Sterling?

I did say I appreciate why some don’t receive a good reception and that it doesn’t happen very often. Sterling being perhaps the most obvious recent case. I think it wasn’t just the way Sterling left, he benefited from us bringing him through the youth system etc and making him into the player he was at the time before leaving for more money which made it worse for most people especially as at the time he was seen as our brightest young player.

Not sure most feel as much ill toward Coutinho or Suarez, well Suarez anyway.

[newterp]

Really - could of sworn I saw Suarez publicly ask for a move to Arsenal ?!
There really isn’t that much between them in this regard they both forced moves out of the club

But one played when called on while the other faked injuries twice.

[redprodigal]

Really - could of sworn I saw Suarez publicly ask for a move to Arsenal ?!
There really isn’t that much between them in this regard they both forced moves out of the club

This. I won't be booing either but I won't be kissing their arses either.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Not arsed how we treat them, they can get a ten second clap and they need to be booed along with rest of their side for the remainder of the match. Suarez wasn't a saint here at this club, he kicked up a fuss about going to Arsenal and he put the club in mad awkward situations in several instances.

Applaud him when they announce his name, and that's it. Boo him and Coutinho for the remainder of the match and the rest of them.

On another note,

11 out of the last 14 semi-final encounters have been won by the side that plays at home first.

Will be imperative we get a good result at their place.

[The 1989 Brit Awards]

Really - could of sworn I saw Suarez publicly ask for a move to Arsenal ?!
There really isn’t that much between them in this regard they both forced moves out of the club

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/06/luis-suarez-liverpool-arsenal-transfer

I sometimes think his bites were an instrument to get a transfer. Ajax-> Liverpool, Liverpool -> Barca.

[BarryCrocker]

I sometimes think his bites were an instrument to get a transfer. Ajax-> Liverpool, Liverpool -> Barca.

Uruguay-> Argentina

[BrandoLFC]

Will talk about this more when the pre-match thread shows up but I somewhat think this may be the best possible draw we could have gotten solely down to Barca's probable starting midfield.  We're better than Spurs and Ajax by a greater margin than Barca but a lot of that is just Messi.  Really excited and think the club is getting it's just rewards for all the hard work they've done to make every facet of the club the best possible version they can and in a lot of aspects the best in world football.

[ThePoolMan]

Neither Coutinho nor Suarez behaved honourably in trying to force their departures especially Coutinho. I wouldnt be in favour of giving them a positive reception above and beyond any other opposing team player.

[ThePoolMan]

I actually prefer us playing Barcelona at this stage to us playing Ajax - I think Ajax is the most formidable opposition that we have in the entire semifinal draw. I still think we are stronger than Ajax but it will be a very tough match.

[So… Howard Philips]

Really - could of sworn I saw Suarez publicly ask for a move to Arsenal ?!
There really isn’t that much between them in this regard they both forced moves out of the club

And Suarez ended up training with his daughter.

[Red Beret]

Sterling?

Owen?

Torres?

Mascherano?

[Raid]

Will talk about this more when the pre-match thread shows up but I somewhat think this may be the best possible draw we could have gotten solely down to Barca's probable starting midfield.  We're better than Spurs and Ajax by a greater margin than Barca but a lot of that is just Messi.  Really excited and think the club is getting it's just rewards for all the hard work they've done to make every facet of the club the best possible version they can and in a lot of aspects the best in world football.

Indeed. There were times in the past few years that I wondered if we'd ever get here again. I will never take it for granted that we're going after the Double still in late April and if we're in the semi-finals again next season I will still treat it like the first like an excited schoolboy.

The club, the fans, Klopp and the players deserve to be rubbing shoulders with Barcelona and a win would make us favourites in the big one to reclaim our throne.

[rocco]

https://twitter.com/jamespearceecho/status/1118937428318937088?s=12


Barcelona charging LFC fans €119 for tickets for the first leg at the Nou Camp. As a result Liverpool will charge Barca fans €119 for the game at Anfield and use the €31 extra to subsidise tickets for the 4,600 Kopites travelling to Spain.

If it’s only the away fans been charged so much , it doesn’t make sense for just 4-5000 tickets 🎫

[Red Beret]

Indeed. There were times in the past few years that I wondered if we'd ever get here again. I will never take it for granted that we're going after the Double still in late April and if we're in the semi-finals again next season I will still treat it like the first like an excited schoolboy.

The club, the fans, Klopp and the players deserve to be rubbing shoulders with Barcelona and a win would make us favourites in the big one to reclaim our throne.

Think this is what marks us from many other big, successful clubs. Even when we might have taken success for granted, we never lost that child like thrill and excitement of the competition.

The likes of city treat it like a computer game on easy mode, where there's an uninterrupted stream of success, and the threat of loss and defeat is largely illusionary.

[scouse neapolitan]

And others. It's a long list,  but there is  a longer list of loyal servants who stayed with our club and city because they loved it and were happy. Take Lucas Leiva as a shining example.

 The point is that we shouldn't blame players who might decide to leave our club, in search of a new challenge or for whatever reason, providing they treat the club and  supporters with respect.

When they start chucking wobblers because they can't get what they want,  things change. Suarez and Coutinho were very good players who were paid well for what they did but they behaved piss -poorly. I remember pictures of the heart broken kids who had just bought shirts with their names on fashion.
Loyalty has a price  For me they'll never be in the same league as Lucas Leiva . And that's why we should simply ignore them and concentrate our attention  on our own players.

[T.Mills]

Really - could of sworn I saw Suarez publicly ask for a move to Arsenal ?!
There really isn’t that much between them in this regard they both forced moves out of the club

Yep. Same with Alonso, Mascherano and countless others. Boggles me that some get preferential treatment over others. The moment leave Liverpool is the moment i stop caring about them to be honest, im sure they feel the same about us.

[Jm55]

Yep. Same with Alonso, Mascherano and countless others. Boggles me that some get preferential treatment over others. The moment leave Liverpool is the moment i stop caring about them to be honest, im sure they feel the same about us.

To be fair to Alonso that whole episode started because Rafa for some reason wanted Gareth Barry to replace him.

[classycarra]

To be fair to Alonso that whole episode started because Rafa for some reason wanted Gareth Barry to replace him.

Tangential, but nah. It didn't. Started with a falling out over travelling to Inter Away while his partner was due to give birth.

[keano7]

Not into boo’ing ex players at all. The only exception being Sterling for obvious reasons.

I loved Coutinho and hope he gets a good reception when his name is read out. The sale of Coutinho provided us with the funds for VVD and Alisson so both parties came out of it well.

[Jm55]

Tangential, but nah. It didn't. Started with a falling out over travelling to Inter Away while his partner was due to give birth.

Either way it’s a fair point isn’t it?

Alonso showed no where near the lack of respect for the club that Suarez and Coutinho did. I’m willing to forget Suarez’s actions because to be fair to him he got his head down and almost win the title for us, whereas Coutinho stuck around for half a season and fucked off after spending the first month out with a ‘back problem.’

It’s all irrelevant anyway, as neither play for the club and the job we have is getting to another European Cup Final, not taking out vendettas on ex players, deserving though they might be.

[Keita Success]

Not sure if anyone's said anything on this, but I'll be fuming if we on't treat the Barca fans the exact way that they do to ours.

United fans were put up in the clouds, behind a screen and netting, paying £100odd (subsidised by the club). Fuck the higher ground. Treat Barca fans the way Barca treat fans of other clubs.

[Tobelius]

Not into boo’ing ex players at all. The only exception being Sterling for obvious reasons.

I loved Coutinho and hope he gets a good reception when his name is read out. The sale of Coutinho provided us with the funds for VVD and Alisson so both parties came out of it well.

I stopped being very emotionally attached to any of our players after Mcmanaman left,which was tough at the time.

I don't really hate any of the ones who left either,dislike maybe,as others have had their strops to join us,it is what it is in todays football.
That said i'd enjoy a little seeing Suarez and Coutinho sitting on the pitch crying after the second leg of the semi 

[Jon2lfc]

I personally don't buy into the "welcome back" to these ex players palaver, because that's all they are. Ex- players.
They were paid handsomely by our club, and they did a job for us, sometimes excellently, but neither of them hesitated to do one when they felt it was right for them, not for us. We were merely stepping stones.
I feel no loyalty to either of them like I feel to Jimmy Case,  Ian St John , Ron Years,  Emlyn Hughes, Steven Gerrard, Pepe Reina , Xabi Alonso, Luis Garcia, Jordan Henderson  etc. I could go on. I feel the same loyalty to them as they did to us.
I hope they feel intimidated and very lonely out there when they play us. They should just be left to stand and watch in awe as the Kop remind them why Liverpool football club is on another level to Barcelona.
I might be talking cobblers for a lot of people,  but  I also know that many others probably feel the same as me.
I had the privilege of being in the middle of the Kop against Barcelona  in 1976 . I vividly remember when the great Johann Cruyff and Neeskens came  out to do the pitch inspection with the rest of the Barcelona team .
 The Kop was already heaving an hour before the kick off.  Cruyff and Neeskens looked on in total admiration at the love that rained down from the Kop for Liverpool football club.
That's what I want to see when we play them this time . Support for our team. The focus on our team.
Fuck the selfies with ex-players . Give them hell for 90 minutes and then maybe a polite round of applause at the end. But just maybe.

This.

[RainbowFlick]

Not into boo’ing ex players at all. The only exception being Sterling for obvious reasons.

I loved Coutinho and hope he gets a good reception when his name is read out. The sale of Coutinho provided us with the funds for VVD and Alisson so both parties came out of it well.

I’ve never really understood why people see there to be a difference between Sterling and Coutinho pushing through their transfers. Arguably Coutinho pushed through his exit at a time when our team was clearly getting stronger.

Either way, boo the lot of them! 

[jillcwhomever]

Why don't we just concentrate on getting our present players over that line and into another Champion's League final? Neither Suarez or Coutinho left with much grace but they are the past now this team is the present and future and these players deserve all our respect and support. I think it was Paul Senior on the Anfield Wrap that pointed out in the build up to this game our former players will be full of nice compliments. Don't fall for any of them, its our team now that should get the adoration not the other two who now play for someone else. Get in Reds.

[number 168]

I have no time for players who disrespect us or our club. Players come and players go, it's how things work but petulance and arrogance, no thanks. Suarez and Coutinho are opposition players who are determined to do anything and everything to defeat us so fuck them and the rest of their entitled team mates.

[J-Mc-]

Why is everyone talking about Suarez and Coutinho? Fuck them, they’re Barca players now.

Get in the ground, sing your fucking hearts out and cheer LFC through to the final. Simple as that.

[Ocean Red]

Just a question, if we win the champions league, will we be playing in the club world cup in December? or has that been scrapped?

[axlrose]

apparently, due to our involvement in CL semi final, we're going to play Newcastle on Saturday  late kick off (7.45 PM). Has anyone heard that, too? Have we actually ever played that late on a Saturday in a PL fixture? I know there were some Friday night performances, but I struggle to think of any evening saturday games

[jepovic]

Not sure if anyone's said anything on this, but I'll be fuming if we on't treat the Barca fans the exact way that they do to ours.

United fans were put up in the clouds, behind a screen and netting, paying £100odd (subsidised by the club). Fuck the higher ground. Treat Barca fans the way Barca treat fans of other clubs.

It's not their fans fault though . They have to suffer these prices every week, so they deserve pity rather than punishment.

[gazzalfc]

Just a question, if we win the champions league, will we be playing in the club world cup in December? or has that been scrapped?

It's been scrapped in its current form.

Plans to relaunch it in 2021

We would obviously play in the super cup final against the Europa League winners in pre season

[ItzdoctorZ]

Coutinho was great for us at the end to be honest. He'll obviously be booed though.

[gazzalfc]

As for Coutinho and Suarez. I will applaud their names during the line ups but once that whistle blows they are the enemy and will treated accordingly.

They are standing in our way of a European cup final. Any edge we can get we need to use.

Suarez hasn't scored at all in the CL this season and Coutinho hasn't lit things up since the move. They can be got at

[Clint Eastwood]

Barca fans seem pretty optimistic - "Valverde's got this", "Valverde will destroy them" - wasn't he being absolutely battered by their fans a few months ago?

What staggers me reading through their forum is their ignorance. They seem to think we are still a crazy gegenpressing team with a shite defence. Not everyone, mind.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Barca fans seem pretty optimistic - "Valverde's got this", "Valverde will destroy them" - wasn't he being absolutely battered by their fans a few months ago?

What staggers me reading through their forum is their ignorance. They seem to think we are still a crazy gegenpressing team with a shite defence. Not everyone, mind.

Typical Barca fanboy behavior. Not all of them but not surprising at all.

[Red Beret]

We put them out in 2007 when they were saying pretty much the same thing.  I'd argue our team then, whilst superior to 2005, is nothing like the team we have now.  (oh but for a 25 yo Gerrard in this team!)

[deFacto please, you bastards]

We put them out in 2007 when they were saying pretty much the same thing.  I'd argue our team then, whilst superior to 2005, is nothing like the team we have now.  (oh but for a 25 yo Gerrard in this team!)

And they were the defending champions at the time, Messi in his infancy, but Ronaldinho,Eto and Deco in their prime.

Still remember Sissoko and Riise hitting the bar from 30 yards in the match at Anfield.

[scouse neapolitan]

And while Barcelona fans seem a likeable bunch on a one-one basis, ( even that is a ridiculous statement I admit!  How  can you gauge what fans of any one club are like,  maybe Millwall being the exception? ) Barcelona as a club are a horrible shower of entitled twots who think they have a God given right to everything.
Sticking fans up in the Gods is hideous,  but if they do it to our support,  I don't see why we don't stick them in similarly shite seating. The same goes for Newcastle and any other club that tries to nick and advantage by treating fans like shite. Just saying!