Jurgen Klopp said it “feels good” to lead Liverpool to the last eight of the Champions League for the first time in nine years.
The Reds progressed with a goalless draw against Porto at Anfield following their devastating 5-0 win in Portugal in the first leg.
“It feels good to be honest, really good,” said Klopp.
“I cannot feel what people feel who have waited so long for it, but it feels good. Last eight is cool. I think it was time we show up again.
“There is good development at Liverpool at the moment, it is a nice moment, but if you don’t show up in a competition like the Champions League then nobody really will realise it.
“So I am happy for all the people involved that we made that step. It’s done, it’s good and now let’s go and carry on.”
“I don’t want to make it smaller than it is but on the other side I don’t want to make it bigger than it is. I think this year we belong there to be honest – it should not be a big surprise.
“The next round will be very difficult, I think that’s clear. Seven other very good teams will be involved, and maybe four of them are from England. It doesn’t make it easier to be honest.
“But I think we will have a chance, for sure, to go to the semis and that is, of course, the target. But take it step by step, and tonight it is cool, absolutely.”
The German added that the atmosphere had been odd given Liverpool’s huge first-leg lead, but that a fifth clean sheet in eight European games was a nice bonus.
“Probably if you draw the first game away in the knockout stage and then win at home maybe it feels different to tonight, but the maximum you can achieve is the next round and we did that in a quite comfortable way, and that I don’t think could have been expected.
“I am really happy about that. Tonight was a big challenge for us – the preparation was different to other games of course – and I think the boys did really well. We showed fantastic attitude, a few pieces of really nice football, and defended very seriously.
“We are through to the next round and I do not need any more positives.”
© TEAMtalk Media
