Parejo: We go to Liverpool with all the confidence in the world. They are the favourites, but they must also respect us

Villarreal is making history. And they’re certainly not going to stop. The modest team from the town of 50,000 reached the semi-finals of the Champions League after knocking out Juventus and Bayern, and now they face Liverpool. And they plan to shock the world again.

The bar is set very high after Tuesday. The Manchester City and Real Madrid players produced a thrilling game, full of chances, wonderful action and seven goals. How will Liverpool respond to Villarreal?

We probably can’t expect such open offensive football. Villarreal like to come out of a secure defence, plus leaving space for Liverpool’s offence behind the defence would be tantamount to a death sentence.

So, rather, expect a more cloudy match where the Yellow Submarine will defend honestly and will value the ball a lot after gaining it and not rush to attack at any cost. It will wait for one opportunity, which it will then convert. Just like in the rematch at Bayern.

“We are looking forward to the match against an opponent in great shape. We are going there with all the confidence in the world, we are stronger together. We made club history last year by winning the Europa League and we are making history now and that is no coincidence. It’s about having confidence in the project we’ve been building here for years,” said key player Dani Parejo at the press conference.

“Every team is in the Champions League semi-finals because they deserve it. Liverpool know we have knocked out two tough opponents, they know it won’t be easy. Of course they feel like favourites, but they also have to respect us. This is the best Liverpool team I have ever seen. I see it as an extra motivation: to try to beat the best Liverpool in history,” added coach Unai Emery.

Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp added his words of respect. “We had a detailed analysis of the opponent. I already had a lot of respect for Unai and Villarreal, but after watching it thoroughly I just said to myself They are unbelievable,” the German coach said at a press conference.

Source: UEFA