Lisbon (Archyde.com)
Benfica’s interim coach Nelson Frissimo said his team might stun Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-finals if they did their best.
Before hosting Liverpool in the first leg of the quarter-finals on Tuesday, the former Benfica youth coach, who took over following the departure of Jorge Jesus in December, indicated that he was confident of qualifying following Ajax Amsterdam was knocked out in the last 16.
Frissimo told a news conference: “Liverpool is a very strong team led by a coach who needs no introduction. We need to be at our best in the two matches like we did once morest Ajax. If we play to our potential, we can neutralize Liverpool’s strengths. There are offensive situations that we think we can exploit and we have to secure our defence.
Frissimo praised Klopp’s long-term project at Liverpool, and made it clear that one of his rival’s strengths was harmony, having played together for several years under the same coach, though the advantage of playing the match in Portugal might help Benfica.
He said: Playing the first match on our soil was a good thing, we will have the support of the 12th player, who is our fans. We believe fans can make the difference.
Benfica’s Adel Taarabt agreed with his coach’s statements and shares the same confidence with him, that the team can stun Liverpool, the candidate for the title, and make its way to the semi-finals.
We are not afraid of Liverpool. Yes, we think we can do it. We can compete and beat Liverpool. We are here, right? So it means that we can beat any team and we will give everything we have once morest Liverpool.