'Liverpool are back where they belong' - Klopp delighted after Bayern win

Dom Farrell

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'Liverpool are back where they belong' - Klopp delighted after Bayern win image

Jurgen Klopp believes Liverpool proved they are back where they belong as a European force to be reckoned with after his side dispatched Bayern Munich 3-1 to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

Sadio Mane broke the deadlock in the tie, following a goalless first leg on Merseyside, with a brilliant solo effort at the Allianz Arena.

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Joel Matip's own goal levelled matters before half-time but Liverpool kept their illustrious hosts at arm's length throughout the second period, when Virgil van Dijk restored their lead before Mane headed his second of the game.

Klopp helmed a raucous run to the Champions League final last season, where the Reds came up short against Real Madrid, and he felt claiming the scalp of their fellow five-time champions confirms the Anfield club are back at Europe's top table.

"Scoring three here is really difficult – actually we scored four because we scored the other one as well!" he told a post-match news conference.

"It's a big, big step for us. We will see what we can do with it but it's a fantastic sign, I love it.

"We again set a mark for this wonderful club, that we really are back on the landscape of international top football.

"We all think that's where this club belongs and tonight we proved it at least a little bit. I'm really happy about the result. I knew we had a chance and the boys made it happen."

Van Dijk sat out the first leg through suspension and, once again, proved an influential presence on his return.

"What can I say – I can write a book about his skills, about his strengths, what a fantastic person he is," Klopp said. "So young, so strong, already so mature.

"Virg knows that he can play better than he did, especially in the second half, we played as good as is necessary and possible in a game like this.

"You have to stay in a game, be really stable and have answers to all the questions, change things, use different tools.

"We had better passing in the second half, we had so many good football moments in the second half and I like that we developed into the game.

"It's a difficult place to come, not too many teams have wins on their card at Munich."

Klopp enjoyed many memorable battles at the Allianz Arena as Borussia Dortmund boss, often coming off on the losing side, but he insisted revenge did not figure in his emotions after an accomplished job well done.

"I'm not like this. It's not sweeter for me because it's Bayern. It does not bring back for me the other results from when we played them and we lost," he added.

"I wanted to win for Liverpool, not to beat Bayern. That doesn't bring me anything. It's just a good moment for Liverpool, so let's enjoy that."

Dom Farrell

Dom Farrell Photo

Dom is the senior content producer for Sporting News UK. He previously worked as fan brands editor for Manchester City at Reach Plc. Prior to that, he built more than a decade of experience in the sports journalism industry, primarily for the Stats Perform and Press Association news agencies. Dom has covered major football events on location, including the entirety of Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup in Paris and St Petersburg respectively, along with numerous high-profile Premier League, Champions League and England international matches. Cricket and boxing are his other major sporting passions and he has covered the likes of Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Wladimir Klitschko, Gennadiy Golovkin and Vasyl Lomachenko live from ringside.