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Liverpool news: Reds can't and won't underestimate Villarreal in Champions League, says Jurgen Klopp

Having already won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2019, Jurgen Klopp is vying for a second European title this season, but Villarreal stand in his side's way.

After seeing off Inter Milan and then Benfica in the Champions League knockout rounds,Β Liverpool will now go head-to-head with Villarreal, who booked their spot in the final four after knocking out Juventus and Bayern Munich.

The Spanish side were very much the underdogs for both clashes, but Unai Emery's side put on some wonderful defensive displays to produce upsets and reach the semi-finals.

Liverpool could reach a third Champions League final underΒ Jurgen Klopp should they beat Villarreal over two legs, but Jurgen Klopp has urged his side to not overlook their next opponents.

"It is a massive game," said Klopp.
"So many coaches out there work their socks off their whole life and have no chance to be close to a semi-final so we have to enjoy it.
"There might have been a little advantage in the last two games. Maybe Juve or Bayern under-estimated them, but that will never happen to us.
"They are still a really good football team who wants to make history as well. It would be the first time they go to a final, which would be a massive thing to Villarreal, but it is to us the same importance."
Emery has enjoyed great success in Europe as a manager, and added a fourth Europa League title to his CV last year after beating Manchester United in the final.
The Spanish manager has also met Klopp in a European final and got the better of his Liverpool side, with his Sevilla outfit winning 3-1 in the 2016 Europa League final despite trailing 1-0 at half-time.
When asked about their collapse six years ago against Sevilla, Klopp suggested his side used the disappointment as a turning point.
"I said it that night, I think that we would come back, without knowing we would come back, but at that moment I really thought we had a chance to come back stronger and we did," he added.
"Would it have been anything different since then if we had we won that night? I don't think so.
"I would have loved to have lifted that trophy that night but you have to learn from these things and that's what we tried to do."
Liverpool will host Villarreal for the first leg on Wednesday evening, with kick-off at Anfield scheduled for 20:00 BST.

READ MORE:Β Divock Origi, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and six other great 'super subs' in English football

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