Liverpool FC’s Brendan Rodgers says his side will write themselves into the club’s history if they get the win to earn qualification while Paulo Sousa says it will be a “dream” to progress.
Brendan Rodgers, Liverpool manager
We would have taken [being in this position] when the draw was made. Tomorrow night will be a great night and, obviously, it is up to us to get the job done. This is a competition that has a great history here for Liverpool and it is a chance for the players to qualify and make sure they write themselves into folklore by winning the game and ensuring they get into the next round.
I think we’ve shown in the last number of weeks that we are starting to come together again after a disappointing spell. We haven’t had the consistency this season but slowly, game by game, I can see the differences in the team, in the focus and the concentration. And what we have in the squad is quality. We know it’s going to be a tough game but we’ve seen on many occasions what the crowd do here for the team.
We don’t need to win the game in the first minute, I think that is the key. European football is technical and tactical and it is understanding that we just need to win the game – we have 90 minutes plus to do that. We have to maintain our patience, play a good technical game – which is what this team has been used to in the past couple of seasons – and, for the tactical element, we always have to have our concentration and focus. If we can do that, I believe we have a great chance, aligned with the supporters and the passion they put in.
We don’t underestimate the opponent. Paolo has done an excellent job. They are the top side in Switzerland and they show that in their performances. So, we respect them but our objective is to win the game and our focus and our concentration is purely on ourselves to do that.
Paulo Sousa, Basel coach
We know the realities. We know they are a historic club and we know about everything around them – the investments, the quality of the players and the number of years Brendan Rodgers has been here, so he knows the environment. But despite that, our club year-by-year is having success. We have the ambition and courage to keep being successful. We want to do things how we usually do things, with happiness in our game, putting them under pressure and then hopefully we can have another magical night and another historic step for this fantastic club.
As a coach, I am always looking forward. With that in mind, we have a plan for the game, and hopefully that plan is the correct one, with the help of a fantastic team performance. Rodgers has been here for a while and is passing on his football philosophy, but in the end it is up to us because I want to be the protagonist. Our players are more solid and clearer in everything we do and we are in a good moment, and hopefully we perform well and put Liverpool under pressure.
If we achieve qualification it is a dream. It is something we are looking for, we are working for that, it is something we deserve. If it happens we will go looking for another achievement.
source: uefa.com
STUDIO 3 NEWCASTLE AUSTRALIA 