Champions League as it happened: Liverpool and Manchester City press conferences ahead of quarter-final
All the updates as Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp faced the media
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Your support makes all the difference.Liverpool and Manchester City face off on Wednesday night in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash, with each side holding one win over the other in the Premier League this season.
The Reds ended City’s bid for an unbeaten season earlier this year with a thrilling 4-3 win at Anfield after Pep Guardiola’s side hammered them 5-0 in September following Sadio Mane’s red card.
And now they will settle their difference in Europe, with both sides almost guaranteed to finish in their current domestic positions, as City could wrap up the title against Manchester United on Saturday and Liverpool have a healthy lead over fifth-placed Chelsea in the race for next season’s Champions League.
Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp face the media ahead of Wednesday’s game, with Liverpool up at 3pm BST and City following at 4.30pm.
Follow all the latest from the press conferences below…
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"I know their qualities and I am concerned with what they will do. We're not going to defend for 180 minutes and score one goal. We might have to defend because Liverpool are a good team. We will try to impose our game."
"The way we play is perfect for Liverpool. They attack the space. I know that. But we will try to do something. I feel the way we try to win is the way we always do."
Most difficult test as City boss?"I don't know - I think the challenge is to play the team as you want. It is a joy to be here. I don't think what will happen if it doesn't go well - in seven days we have another one. We have to be ourselves."
"We are so happy with our young attackers. You need experience to be better. They are young. Gabriel has never played in the semi-finals of Champions League in his life. But why should I doubt them. If it doesn't go well it will be a good lesson for the future."
Now Pep is answering some questions in Spanish... "We will try to learn from our mistakes and look after what Liverpool did well. It's a new game and if it doesn't go well we will have another chance next Tuesday."
"Well obviously they can harm us but we can harm them. We are close to the Premier League title but anything can happen in this competition.What do you fear the most:
"They quality, their history and some of the players they have as well."
And that's the end of Pep. He exits the press conference to head back to the team hotel and watch tonight's Champions League games.
To recap, the big news is that Sergio Aguero is OUT of tomorrow's game at Anfield, meaning Gabriel Jesus will start."Sergio is much better but doctors spoke to him today and he said he still has a little bit of a problem and isn’t comfortable."
Other main points from Pep:
Anfield is a "nice place" to play football
Delph and Danilo are both in contention to start at left-back
Liverpool's biggest threat is "their quality, their history and they have great players".
And that's that!Thanks for joining us today and why not jump on over to our live coverage of tonight's Champions League games as Juventus play Real Madrid and Sevilla welcome Bayern Munich.
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/juventus-real-madrid-sevilla-bayern-munich-champions-league-live-teams-blog-tv-stream-a8286946.html
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