Champions League: Jürgen Klopp urges Liverpool not to take Roma lightly despite avoiding Real Madrid and Bayern

Roma’s brilliant victory over Barcelona is enough of a warning to Klopp to know that there is no easy draw in the Champions League semi-finals

Jürgen Klopp does not believe facing Roma is an easier task for Liverpool than either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich (Getty)

Jürgen Klopp has urged Liverpool fans and his players not to buy into the idea that they have received the dream Champions League semi-final draw, or else risk elimination at the hands of Roma.

Having knocked Manchester City out in the quarter-finals through a 5-1 aggregate victory, Liverpool’s European quest was handed another boost on Friday when they avoided European heavyweights Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the semi-final draw, with the two clubs currently ranked first and second in Uefa’s coefficient list.

Roma, unlike Real and Bayern, have never won the Champions League, and their closest chance to do so came in 1984 when they were beaten in the final in a penalty shootout by Liverpool. But the Italians do hold a higher European ranking than five-time champions Liverpool, and Klopp has warned that anyone who believes they have dodged a bullet should watch their incredible 4-4 aggregate result against Barcelona – which sent them through on away goals – as evidence to prove their calibre at this level.

“Because I knew I’d have to say something after it, I tried to think about what I feel, but it was not that I thought ‘Thank God not Bayern, thank God not Real Madrid, yippee Roma’ or the other way around,” Klopp said immediately after the draw.

“It is just the draw and I know it is very exciting, but it is good because the most important news is we are still in the competition. Whichever opponent we would have got, I would have said there is a chance because it is football – so there is a chance against Roma.

“But if anybody think this is the easiest draw then I cannot help this person; they obviously didn’t see both games against Barcelona. In the first result, the 4-1, it was not like the game was – it was Messi genius against a good side of Roma. The second leg was outstanding, it was outstanding what they did. They should have probably won four or five-nil – I was really impressed.

“It is work and no problem with that and now we are looking forward of course to the first game.”

Before that, Liverpool take on Bournemouth this weekend and West Bromwich Albion next week in the Premier League as they look to consolidate their top-four position and challenge Manchester United for second place, with Manchester City on course to win the title in the coming weeks.

Roma's 3-0 victory on Tuesday knocked Barcelona out of the Champions League (Getty)

The fixtures surrounding the Champions League double-header with Roma are also rather kind on Klopp’s side, with the visit of Stoke City being sandwiched in-between the first leg at Anfield on Tuesday 24 April and the trip to the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday 2 May – though they will return from Italy to immediately prepare for their trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea the following weekend.