Borussia Dortmund vs Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp demands his players give their all ahead of Europa League quarter-final

Klopp returns to the club he won back-to-back league titles during a seven-year spell

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp (Getty)

Jürgen Klopp has warned his players they will need to perform to their maximum capacity if a victory at his former club Borussia Dortmund is to be a possibility tomorrow night.

The pressroom at the Signal Iduna Park was packed an hour before Klopp’s arrival at the stadium where he spent seven successful seasons.

While Liverpool have struggled in the league this season, Dortmund still hold aspirations of a treble under Thomas Tuchel and Klopp was keen to switch the pressure ahead of what is being billed as an emotional occasion.

“It is all about the moment and we need to use the moment tomorrow,” he said. “If there is one little advantage for us then everyone knows Dortmund started a few years ago beating favourites. I have reminded my players about this because Dortmund are the favourites in the Europa League and I don’t think many people disagree with that.

“A lot of things can happen, especially in this stadium. We have to play top-level football and then we have a chance.

"I don't think we are favourites to win the title but if we beat Dortmund then we become something like favourites."

Klopp joked that he would “rather be here than in North Korea,” but there was a sense that he’d rather focus on the sporting contest at hand, rather than the significance of his own presence.

“It is a real fight and a little disappointed I have to speak about this," he admitted. "I left nine months ago, I said goodbye and now I come back. I don't think about my situation for not one second.

"Let's play football and talk afterwards. It is a real challenge but hopefully for both sides.”

James Milner, who spoke before Klopp, was adament the attention on his manager makes it easier for Liverpool’s players.

“We’ll have to be on the top of our game but we’ve shown that we can beat anyone already this season,” he said.

“These are two top teams with great European history. If you put the two clubs in Champions League they wouldn’t look out of place. It’s obviously where we want to be. It’s another path for us if we win this competition.”