Finally, after a gap of 4 years, Liverpool is back in the UEFA Champions League and Steven Gerrard is relieved about it.
As per the Reds’ captain, sitting outside and seeing the rivals taking part in the competition over the last few seasons was extremely hard for him and his boys.
Liverpool, having finished 2nd in the league last season, has qualified for Europe this time around. They will start their tournament in a couple of days by taking on Ludogorets. That match will be played at Anfield.
Speaking about getting back to Europe, Gerrard said, “We had been watching the other teams playing in the tournament and it was not easy for us to be honest. We desperately wanted to get there again and because of the hard yards that we put in last season, we managed to do that.”
“We want to experience that same atmosphere again. I still have fresh memories of that night in 2005. It was 3-0 Milan and we were almost out, but, the fans did not let our shoulders drop down. The inspiring song that they were singing, the players were getting goose bumps and what happened after that everybody knows. We are blessed with amazing fans I must say. I do hope that they support us the same way again.”
When asked how he rates Ludogorets, which is a Bulgarian club, as opposition, the playmaker said, “We don’t have that much idea about them obviously because we haven’t played against them that often. So, rather than thinking about them, we should focus on our game and see if we can improve in certain areas.”
After the Ludogorets game, Liverpool will face the Swiss club Basel which had upset Chelsea at Stamford Bridge the previous season.