Liverpool 'must be ready to suffer' in their Champions League battle with Villarreal

Premier League club go into Tuesday's semi-final second leg in Spain defending a 2-0 lead

Liverpool's Jordan Henderson celebrates after his cross took a deflection off Villarreal's Geronimo Rulli to give his side the lead in the Champions League semi-final first leg at Anfield on April 27. Getty

Jordan Henderson celebrates with team-mates after the first goal. Getty

Villarreal's Pervis Estupinan scores Liverpool's first with an own goal after deflecting a cross from Henderson. Action Images

Sadio Mane scores Liverpool's second goal. Reuters

Liverpool's Sadio Mane celebrates after scoring. EPA

Sadio Mane celebrates with Luis Diaz. AFP

Villarreal coach Unai Emery watches the action. EPA

Mohamed Salah controls the ball. Getty

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp hugs Jordan Henderson as he leaves the pitch. AFP

Liverpool's Fabinho reacts during the game. Action Images

Jurgen Klopp has said that his Liverpool team “have to be ready to suffer” if they want to reach this season's Champions League final.

The Premier League club take on Villarreal in Tuesday's semi-final second leg in Spain defending a 2-0 from the first game at Anfield.

Liverpool remain in the hunt for what would be a historic trophy quadruple and have lost only three times in all competitions this term. And while they remain in pole position to secure their latest euro final spot, Klopp has warned his players they must prepare themselves for a difficult night at El Madrigal.

“With all these things during the season, obviously with the situation we are in, we must have done something right, that is clear,” said the German on Monday.

“But the problem in our job is everything’s perfect until the next game starts on the wrong foot and all of a sudden the game gets a different dynamic.

“It is good to know – and it is more a feeling inside, not that we are flying constantly and high-fiving here and there – we are in a good moment.

“But my only concern is what we do [on Tuesday] and we have to be ready to suffer but not going 1-0 down or whatever – that can happen in football matches – but giving the game the right direction.

“Let’s think they have the first shot on target, crowd goes up, each challenge, crowd goes up and that is how it is.”

Klopp said a prime example of this was during their narrow Premier League victory at Newcastle United on Saturday. “The crowd was obviously very passionate but we did not let it happen, which was the biggest quality of this game,” he added.

How Villarreal and Liverpool reached the semi-finals

“It was not a show of football brilliance or whatever. We had our moments and of course could have scored more goals. But how clear-cut the performance was – that was incredible and that is what we have to be.

“Yes, emotional. Yes, ready to play the best game ever, but knowing it will just not happen in all moments. Suffering doesn’t mean you suffer for long, it means you suffer [clicks fingers] and then react.”

Klopp added that “maturity and experience” will be important but not decisive factors. “They will try to play much more football than we allowed them in the first game,” he said.

“Unai will surely try to adapt a few things. It will be really interesting. Maturity is important but not the only thing.

“Everything we are is required [on Tuesday]. We have to be ready to play a top game because they will go for us. They will try to play much more football than we allowed them in the first game.”

Klopp revealed that forward Roberto Firmino has started running again after a foot injury but was still experiencing pain and will not play in Spain.