Liverpool face yet another important Champions League tie at Anfield tonight.
Rob Green has shared how as a goalkeeper he would get ‘ironic applause’ from the Liverpool fans in the Kop knowing what was about to come his way during the match, as he told BBC Radio 5 Live Sport (10/03/20 at 19:40 pm).
The former Premier League goalkeeper was making reference to Liverpool’s Champions League tie against Atletico Madrid tonight and how the fans, just like Barcelona last season, can make life difficult for their opponents.
When it comes to European nights, Anfield has always been a difficult place to play for the opposition, as Lionel Messi’s Barcelona found out last season.
Green, who represented a number of Premier League clubs, including playing for England during his career, shared how the reaction from the Anfield crowd prior to starting can ‘play on your mind’.
“Last season, look at the game against Barcelona, a team like that freezing,” Green told BBC Radio 5 Live. “They just froze in the space of 90 minutes, didn’t they?
“There are not many places and not many grounds in the world where you can create that sort of atmosphere and historically Anfield does bring that around to teams.
“As a player, you go there, running towards the Kop as a goalkeeper with the ironic applause that comes from the fans, which comes towards you knowing that what’s about to come. It plays on your mind.”
The Reds are currently trailing their knockout tie against the defensively sound Atletico, who well and truly shut down the Premier League champions-elect in the first leg.
Whilst the tactics from Diego Simeone won’t change for this game, life will be that more difficult for the La Liga club because of the Anfield crowd.
If Atletico can deal with the fans, frustrate the Liverpool players and take their chances when they get them then they might just cause yet another upset.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
