Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is not worried by the extra demands being placed on his squad due to additional Champions League travel.
The Reds’ last-16 first-leg tie away to RB Leipzig on Tuesday has already been moved to Budapest due to restrictions placed on travel to Germany.
It is likely the home leg three weeks later is also set to be switched as the rules imposed by the German authorities mean the Bundesliga side would have to quarantine if they flew back from the United Kingdom.
Our first-leg tie with @RBLeipzig_EN will be played at the Puskas Arena. #LFC | #UCL
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 7, 2021
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Asked whether he was concerned about the extra travel, Klopp said: “No, not really. It’s something we cannot change and have no influence on it at all.
“We just wait for the moment when somebody tells us where we have to play. In this case, it’s UEFA.
“The flight to Hungary is obviously longer than to Germany for the first game, maybe an hour, that’s a difference but not the main difference, and Leipzig have to fly there as well.
“Where we play the second game I don’t know yet. Depends on a few decisions. We are again not involved in them.
“That’s two games around all the other games. I don’t think it makes a massive difference.
“It would be much nicer if we were allowed to play in Leipzig and especially to play at Anfield but it’s not in our hands.
“I didn’t really think about it, we just accept the decision and prepare the game after the Leicester game.”
The defending champions have won just two of their last nine Premier League matches but victory over the Foxes would see them leapfrog their opponents into third place.
Klopp’s team were comfortable 3-0 winners in their November Anfield meeting but the dynamic has changed considerably since.
“I know what the situation is. Even when I know the reason that we are not flying, I expect us to win more football games than we did,” added the Reds boss, whose bad luck with injuries continued with Fabinho ruled out of Saturday’s match.
Keep grinding 🔴 #ynwa #weareliverpool #nike pic.twitter.com/7twfxAIPDy
— James Milner (@JamesMilner) February 10, 2021
“That’s what I am concerned about. That’s it. To be really successful you have to be lucky as well.
“If you are unlucky you have a problem and if you have a problem you have to solve it but it will not be the perfect season any more.
“For us we have 15 games to go still, so a lot of points.
“We will try our absolute best to make the best season from now on. That’s our job.”
