Liverpool have their work cut out if they want to progress to the final of the Champions League.
Darren Fletcher has stated that he was ‘worried’ for Liverpool when Jurgen Klopp brought on Divick Origi during their 3-0 Champions League semi-final defeat to Barcelona on Wednesday night at the Nou Camp,
The Merseyside club suffered an undeserved loss in their first leg encounter, with the brilliant Lionel Messi netting a brace and Luis Suarez opening the scoring against his former club.
With five minutes left on the clock, Klopp opted to bring on striker Origi for James Milner as the Reds tried to score a much-needed away goal.
Speaking to BBC Radio Five Live (01/05/2019 at 10:00 pm), Fletcher explained why he feared for the English side when they brought on more attacking options.
“I was worried for Liverpool when they started bringing on Origi and going gung-ho because I fancied Barcelona to pick them off on the break,” Fletcher told BBC Radio 5 Live. “Very strange game. Liverpool dominated the second half but find themselves 3-0 down.
“Barca changing their formation to 4-4-2, sitting deep and seeing out the game. Not what I expected at all. He was the difference. Lionel Messi is the X Factor.”
It is a cruel defeat for Liverpool who now have their work cut out to try and overturn this deficit for the return leg at Anfield next week.
On top of trying to reach the Champions League final for the second season running, Klopp is also aiming to win the Premier League title.
The German will be hugely disappointed with the scoreline in Spain, but his focus will now turn to trying to overtake Manchester City at the top of the table.
On Saturday evening, they will travel to St James’ Park to take on Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle United, with City playing Leicester City on Monday night.
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