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LONDON. – A confessed admirer of the underdog tales of Robin Hood and Rocky Balboa, Jurgen Klopp is probably uncomfortable with Liverpool’s status as strong favourites in tonight’s Champions League soccer semi-final, first leg against Roma.

However, it is testament to how far the German has revitalised a sleeping giant on the European stage that Liverpool’s first appearance in the Champions League last four for a decade is met with such expectation.

It hasn’t always been a such a smooth ride since Klopp arrived an Anfield two-and-a-half years ago. Indeed, even in the aftermath of a 5-1 quarter-final thrashing of hitherto tournament favourites Manchester City, Klopp warned the clock was ticking on his promise to deliver a trophy within four years of taking charge.

Early in his reign Klopp at times bemoaned the subdued atmosphere in modern English grounds, even at the mythical Anfield, compared to his grounding in Germany’s Bundesliga.

By contrast, Anfield will be at fever pitch tonight to try and inspire the five-time European champions back to club’s football’s biggest game in the Kiev final on May 26. “The Champions League nights are special for the fans too,” Liverpool’s talisman Mohamed Salah – who has scored an incredible 41 goals in his debut season for the club – told CNN. “You can feel it on the streets.
“The atmosphere in that first game against Man City was the first time I had really seen something like that.”

English Premier League champions City’s evisceration by a three-goal blitz in 19 first-half minutes was just another chapter in a long history of famous European nights at Anfield. – AFP.