HOFFENHEIM HEAD TO Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool bidding to make history by overturning a 2-1 deficit in tonight’s Champions League play-off second leg (7.45pm, live on RTÉ 2) to become the first German club to win at Anfield.
Liverpool looked to have planted one foot in the group phase after going 2-0 up in last week’s first leg in Germany, only for Mark Uth’s 87th-minute reply to bring Hoffenheim right back into the tie.
The Germans are bidding to reach the Champions League’s group stage for the first time in the club’s history.
Liverpool, who have been absent from the competition for three years, have yet to lose at home to German opposition in 14 matches at home in European competition — with 11 wins and three draws.
“There is always the first time, we want to win the game, but there is the additional attraction of writing our own success story,” Hoffenheim’s 24-year-old Germany midfielder Kerem Demirbay told German daily Bild.
“It’s a great time to write history.”
Although they need to score at least twice, Demirbay insists the Germans will not be intimidated by Anfield, but are full of respect for Klopp’s side.
“One has to say, they are simply a good team, but we are also good,” said Demirbay.
“We’re not Liverpool, but we can go there with our heads held high and play without fear. We’re good enough to survive there too and score at least two goals.”
Demirbay says the novelty of playing in the electric atmosphere of Anfield will motivate the Germans.
“It can also give us a push, because none of us have experienced an atmosphere like Anfield.
“I won’t be intimidated, quite the opposite. I think it’s great when you come across a mood like that in a stadium. It’s inspiring.”
Might meet again in the final dont think we all can go through that again beat scotland first then new zealand who still scare me
@Sèan: NZ are always capable of bearing anyone. I agree, I don’t want to play SA again but I think they might struggle against France. France are more than a match for them up front and better behind the scrum. I fancy France to win that one, even without Dupont.
@rayridge….if there was an award for bellend of the weekend you would undoubtedly have it on your mantlepiece
The IRFU are writing a letter asking can’t we be the 33rd team, oh sorry that was the FAI. The IRFU are writing a letter can’t New Zealander Ben O’ Keefe be the referee if we get to play New Zealand in the quarter finals. #benyoubeauty
@Ray Ridge: Good man Ray
@Ray Ridge: he was a great ref for SA , gave them a lot of soft penalties in that second half
@Ray Ridge: what do you get from this BS.
@chris mcdonnell: if he called if for SA he gets an excuse?
@Owen ODonoghue: and as the over head camera showed a few times, they were the first to engage..
Delighted rassie was on the losing side,with his ridiculous shining lights at his team.he almost ruined a good Munster team when he was in charge of them…s.a rugby is terrible to watch with bash bosh up the middle ,dreadful stuff altogether. I hope France wind up meeting them and send them home ! And I hope the stamp on jvdf’s hand is being looked at and consequences dished out.nasty stuff
Can see us getting close to a final with that lineout.
@tom o neill: The lineout will be fixed. Remember Kelleher has only a small amount of game time this season and Sheenan looked good when he came on.
@tom o neill: we just beat the world champions with that lineout, we won a grand slam with the same lineout. We have some of the URC champions and the champions cup finalist in that lineout. We don’t seem to have lost too many games so far with that lineout.
@chris mcdonnell: I’d say we beat them in spite of that lineout might be more constructive?
Whatever happened to jamrag?