The last time the five times European champions reached this stage of Europe’s elite club competition was in 2009 when they went out to Chelsea in a dramatic 7-5 aggregate defeat. “It feels good to be honest, feels really good. I cannot feel like people who waited so long for it, but it feels good,” said Klopp, who made clear that he expected more. “Last eight is cool. (But) we’re not a little bit satisfied to be honest. I think it was time that we showed up again,” he said.
Klopp, who took his previous club Borussia Dortmund to the Champions League final in 2012, losing to Bayern Munich, said reaching the last eight highlighted the progress at Anfield. “There is a good development in Liverpool at the moment, it is a nice moment, but if you don’t show up in a competition like the Champions League then no-one realises it,” he said. “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.”
Klopp is in his third season at the Merseyside club and said this year’s progress in Europe was about in line with his expectations for the team’s improvement. “I never had a time schedule in my mind. I don’t want to make it smaller than it is but, on the other hand, I don’t want to make it bigger than it is.
“This year we belong there to be honest, it should not be a big surprise and the next round will be very difficult, there are seven other very good teams involved, so maybe five or four 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, that is of course the target. I think we are in time.”
Porto manager Sergio Conceicao feels Liverpool, who last won the Champions League in 2005, have what it takes to go all the way again. “Liverpool are definitely one of the teams that can win this year, they are really strong and everyone knows that,” said the former Portugal winger.
Despite facing old rivals Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday, Klopp fielded a strong side although top scorer Mohamed Salah and record signing Virgil van Dijk both started on the bench.
In a predictably low-key game, Liverpool striker Sadio Mane, whose hat-trick in Porto helped ensure there was little at stake at Anfield, came closest to breaking the deadlock.
Mane was off target with an effort at full-stretch from a Joe Gomez cross in the 18th minute and then hit the post in the 31st minute after taking down a ball from James Milner and releasing a low diagonal drive.
While the night lacked drama, the passion was brought by Porto’s supporters who, despite the heavy loss from two weeks ago, travelled to Merseyside to fill the away section and sang their hearts out all night.
They received little in the way of excitement from their team in return with their first real effort on goal not coming until the 52nd minute when Ghanaian winger Majeed Waris’ shot from the edge of the box was pushed wide by Liverpool keeper Loris Karius.
Substitute Danny Ings then forced a fine save out of Porto’s veteran Spanish keeper Iker Casillas with a looping header in the final stages.
Casillas, a three-times Champions League winner with Real Madrid, will be released by Porto at the end of this season and at the age of 36 this may have been his last game in Europe’s elite club competition. The keeper was given an impressive round of applause from Liverpool’s fans as he took his place in front of the Kop for the second half.