Porto 1-4 Liverpool: the reaction of Jürgen Klopp

The Reds have hosted a meeting with FC Barcelona in the last four European club competitions after their 6-1 win over FC Porto in the quarter-finals.

Holding a two-goal lead over the first leg last week at Anfield, Klopp's team was imposed 4-1 in the return match at Estadio do Dragao on Wednesday night, thanks to goals from Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Virgil van Dijk. .

Read the transcript of the coach's press conference after the match …

On his reaction to Liverpool's performance and his place in the semifinals …

I am very, very happy, as you can imagine. I had already said that it would be very difficult, you probably all thought it was what I had to say, but I knew it, so how can I be surprised that it was difficult? In football, we can not defend certain things, the long balls they play behind, the physical aspect. There were a lot of really physical challenges where as a defender you have to be a little more careful because if you make a mistake, it's a free kick, what they wanted, or worse, can -being a penalty. Then we did not have the best reaction in the second balls, so they were too many, especially in the center.

We tried to change the system several times and we finally changed at half-time, the 4-4-1-1, and that helped us, because we closed the center better, we could keep them from One side and they could not change sides as before with a lot of direction in the game. We had to defend ourselves a lot in the first half hour in the last third. That's good, it's not a problem, it's the job you need to do in a football game. Boys have done that and a big difference from the past is that it does not cost us trust, if we have to do it, then we do it. If we are under pressure, no problem, we have to defend ourselves there and then we know we will have chances. We had them, we had a goal, we had a good chance before half-time.

In the second half, it was clear that Porto would come back with a high intensity, but they could not maintain the level until the end, so that times would come back for us. We used them so we won the match and we are now in the semifinal – really, really, what competition and we are for the second time in a semifinal. It's really something crazy, incredible.

On moving forward in how they have made a difference for Liverpool …

There was a lot of drama on the ground, but maybe not the drama. In the last third of the season we are already seeing the finish line and you have to have some luck with injuries and that sort of thing is very important. Now, [we play on] Sunday, we have three days to recover, but we fly tomorrow and it's like that, and then we prepare for another very, very intense football game. Cardiff is completely back in the race with the result of yesterday, so they will fight for it. I do not think it will be less intense than tonight, so that's the next job.

If the cumulative score 6-1 was a good reflection of both games …

I do not think it's a result that reflects both games. In the first game we were significantly better – 2-0 is good, but we dominated the match, we played a very good football match – and that made life really difficult for Porto. Tonight, it was the opposite, they made our life very difficult, they were really direct. It's really good to be part of a match like this when the audience is like that and behind the team, even as a visiting team and obviously they did not get us Too much loved, it was a very good football atmosphere, they used it. The Porto game was so powerful and so difficult to manage, but we scored the goals and that's how such results can happen.

Porto needed a goal early tonight, they did not score it, then, as I said, the intensity level went down a bit and we're still here. It's not that we have forgotten how to play football. We have our strength even in a difficult match, so I am completely happy. Nobody is interested in 6-1 or anything, I have not thought about it and I will not think about it – it's only important that you go through and pbad. Last year [was] not a 5-0, honestly. I've said it before and I'm not saying it just to be gentle, kind or otherwise. We played a good game, it was not a 5-0, but we still took the result. This year it's not a 6-1, but anyway, we want to go, we're there, and I think it's also deserved.

On if Liverpool can defeat Barcelona …

We are in the semi-finals, we are playing against Barcelona, ​​you can imagine that I do not think about it too much. But I'm really happy that we're playing them. We are going to find things where we think we could probably use it or something else, but on the other side, I do not care, I do not mind tonight. Tonight we are in the semi-finals and we play Sunday against Cardiff. That's what I think and I'll think it 100% when I wake up tomorrow, and not the way we play against Barcelona.

We have enough time for this and we can look at so many teams that have already tried it and maybe find something. I can not wait to be there, but not tonight. It's brilliant. The announcement of a competition, a real football match between Barcelona and Liverpool, is very good news. I'm happy for everyone in the club that it's like that; second time in second year semifinal. It's a big statement. Anyway, it's difficult. Everyone is trying it and no one has done it in the last two years. I'm really proud of the boys, it's great what they did. We did it in different ways, this makes it even more special. I am very happy.

To know if reaching the semifinals feels different compared to last season …

The group stage of last year was already different. I do not know what kind of results we had, crazy results in the group stages and that, of course, takes you a bit through the competition. This year it was a lot harder, a lot of tough games outside, but last year we had a very tough outside match in Manchester City, if you you remember, a very tough outside match in Rome and we've always done it. I know that people like to be disrespectful towards this kind of team like Porto and you say to yourself: "Oh, Liverpool in Porto". We knew how difficult it was. We won 2-0 at home and it was deserved.

And here today, everything could have happened. We handled the problem very well, so I'm very happy about that. In the quarter-finals of the Champions League, there are only incredibly strong teams – in the semi-finals too. I obviously did not see Tottenham-City, so I can not say anything. But what I saw twice about Ajax Amsterdam … if I still wore my hat, I should [tip it]. It's amazing how they play. On football, I must say [the] The biggest compliment for their course, beating Madrid and Juve like they did, it's amazing. Four really strong teams in the semifinals and it's still interesting.

By arresting Lionel Messi …

Thank God, I do not have to think about it tonight and thanks to God, I still have a few nights to think about it! I think everyone has tried until now and no one can really do it. We will still try it. But we are impatient to do so, but we have so much work to do before meeting Barcelona. So, let's start by playing these games and then prepare for Barcelona. Then we'll see. I have never played in Barcelona in a real game, so [it’s] my first time there and I can not wait to be there.

On the decision to launch Divock Origi in front of Firmino …

Bobby had absolutely no problem with fitness and he had none, so we started with Divock. Then, because we defended as a front-line unit, it was not very good, we had to change it at half-time. That's not a problem, it's nothing about Divock. Div in training, he is in incredible shape and shows it all the time. The development of the game was not the most grateful game for an attacker, but it's like that. There is no problem.