Jurgen Klopp said Liverpool have a “one percent chance” of overturning a 5-2 first-leg deficit to eliminate Real Madrid from the Champions League at the Santiago Bernabeu, but still believes his team can achieve the improbable.
Reigning European champions Madrid fought back from 2-0 down in the first game at Anfield to secure a three-goal lead going into Wednesday’s round-of-16 return fixture.
But with Liverpool famously beating Barcelona 4-0 in the 2019 semifinal second-leg having lost 3-0 at Camp Nou in the first game, Klopp said that he still has hope that his players can pull off another remarkable win.
“What I said after the game three weeks ago was that Madrid are through to the next round,” Klopp said. “But three weeks later, we know there is a game to play and if it is only a one percent chance, I would like to give it a try.
“In this room, 100 percent of people think we have no chance. If I am the only one who thinks we have a little, that’s fine.
“It’s Real Madrid, they are three goals up. It’s not something you want for Christmas, but we have nothing to lose. We are alone with a little belief, in with a chance of doing it.”
Liverpool have endured a season of extreme highs and lows, including a record 7-0 win against Manchester United in the Premier League, which came after the 5-2 defeat against Real. They have become an unpredictable team, capable of beating the strongest opponent, but also losing to the weakest, having lost twice to the Premier League’s bottom team this season.
And Klopp admits he doesn’t know which Liverpool will emerge from the tunnel to face Real on Wednesday after losing 1-0 to Bournemouth on Saturday.
