Klopp warns defense of 'biggest challenge in a long time'

 Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said on Friday his club's defense will face its "biggest challenge for a long time" against Tottenham Hotspur's powerful attack when the two teams meet in the Premier League on Saturday.

Klopp expects Tottenham to play under coach Antonio Conte on the counter-attack, because he has "a group of the best players in the world who are good at counter-attacks", especially when they play away from home.

"When you think about the way Tottenham win matches, you will find a great team. They have crazy speed up front," the German coach told reporters before Saturday's match at Anfield.

He continued: "Harry Kane, what a player. Obviously he fits their way of playing very well, there is a great understanding between them. I would say we are going to face the biggest challenge in a long time. To win a game you have to create chances and control the play, but when you lose With the ball, you have to be close to all the opponents immediately and that's very difficult. We have to find a way to reduce their risk whenever possible."

Liverpool, who reached the Champions League final, are one point behind leaders Manchester City, 4 games before the end of the season.

In response to a question whether the City team would be more determined than ever not to let the league title slip away from it, after the European exit at the hands of Real Madrid, Klopp said: "Yes, it was a strong blow .. really tough. A night like that is not great." The next morning the feelings are bad, but City are now preparing for Newcastle United on Sunday."

Real Madrid beat Liverpool in the 2018 final, and Klopp said he wanted to face the Spanish team again the following season to avenge that defeat.

In the end, Liverpool won the competition in 2019 by defeating Tottenham in the final.

"But we played Tottenham in Madrid," said Klopp, laughing. "It seems that Madrid is our destiny. It was strange and City were unlucky, but what Real Madrid did was great. They beat Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and City. If you beat these three teams, you definitely deserve to be." be in the final.

"It would be great. We weren't happy that night (in 2018) but that was a while ago. I'm happy to go there to try again."