PSG Brazilian star Neymar has already confirmed Liverpool move, while Erling Haaland agrees with Pep Lijnders

Liverpool won’t worry about a potential transfer plan despite Erling Haaland’s fury last night. Pep Lijnders knows the truth with a little help from Neymar.

Joško Gvardiol is currently one of the most wanted defenders in the world. The Croatian centre-back, just 21, is seen as an elite prospect, with the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea linked with his signing as he develops at RB Leipzig.

Gvardiol is understandably tipped for greatness, but on Tuesday night he suffered a real embarrassment on Europe’s biggest stage. His Leipzig side met Manchester City in the Champions League Round of 16 and ended up losing by an incredible seven goals to nil.

Never before has a team lost so far in the Champions League round of 16, with Erling Haaland even scoring five times on his own. Pep Guardiola’s outfit proved clinical throughout the top-flight clash but Gvardiol need not worry as he now shares parallels with a certain Virgil van Dijk.

It was December 2013 and the Liverpool centre-back was just 22 years old. The Dutchman had yet to appear on English shores and remained at Celtic, Scotland’s biggest club alongside Rangers. Van Dijk’s side qualified for the Champions League after winning the domestic league the previous season. In their group, Celtic were drawn against mighty Barcelona, ​​who at the time boasted an outrageous attacking duo of Messi and Neymar, with Luis Suárez joining the following year.

The game took place at Camp Nou and after 90 minutes Barcelona emerged 6-1 winners, even without Messi. Alone, Neymar was able to inflict brutal damage, scoring three goals and registering one assist. Van Dijk played the whole game and – although his side conceded six goals – he actually played well and offered a glimpse of his level as a future star of the sport.

The Dutch international then joined Southampton from Celtic before joining Liverpool at the age of 26 for a record transfer fee. He has since established himself as the best centre-back in the world, even finishing second in the Ballon d’Or in 2019, with Messi winning the prestigious award.

The 6-1 loss to Barcelona looked bleak for Van Dijk, as did the 7-0 loss to Manchester City for Gvardiol, but both results show how much defense is first and foremost a team exercise. A capable person can look bad when the system around them is torn apart by the quality of their opposition – be it Neymar or Haaland – something Jurgen Klopp needs to reckon with.

This season, his Liverpool side have shown themselves to be far from their usual selves, conceding goals and leaving the defensive side of the game wide open. Van Dijk hasn’t been watching closely and the same goes for his partners in the back, such as Joël Matip, Ibrahima Konaté and Joe Gomez.

However, rather than everyone throwing themselves off a cliff with their performances collectively, it’s more reasonable to assume that Liverpool’s system as a whole wasn’t as protective as it was. In 38 Premier League games last season, the Reds conceded just 26 goals. This season, however, they have played 26 games and conceded 29 goals.

Klopp, now sixth in the Premier League table, will have to solve his squad’s problems this summer if he is to restore his status as a giant next season. It won’t be an easy task, but he has to come back to the idea that defense is a team activity. Klopp’s assistant Pep Lijnders once said that “you need 22 legs and two gloves to avoid goals”, and his words have never been more relevant as Liverpool aim to restore the old level, while Gvardiol it is also considered a future market target.

Also..

Ex-Liverpool star Steven Gerrard words show Liverpool exactly what they are missing after Champions League failure

Liverpool left the Champions League with a whimper against Real Madrid on Wednesday night. “I don’t want to wake up to the UEFA Cup tomorrow morning.”

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard made such a defiant comment on the eve of the crucial Champions League group stage clash against Olympiakos in 2004.

He also admitted during the press conference pre-match that he would have no choice but to consider his own should Rafa Benitez’s side fail to qualify for Europe’s elite competition, it was the aforementioned quote that came the next day morning, the backs dominated.

Gerrard needed to win against the Greeks by two goals to advance to the knockout stages at their expense and it looked like Gerrard’s words came back to bite him as Liverpool led 0-0 at half-time following a free-kick of Rivaldo: 1 behind. But the talismanic Reds captain grabbed the game by the neck as he scored his most famous late goal to secure the required 3-1 win.

It was neither the first nor the last time the midfielder dragged his team over the line. Istanbul 2005 and Cardiff 2006 immediately come to mind as Liverpool came from behind in the most dramatic fashion to lift both the Champions League and FA Cup.

Yet his Reds career has been littered with these ‘Roy of the Rovers’ examples. Whenever Liverpool needed him, whatever the occasion, Gerrard delivered, often a league above those around him.

What would Jürgen Klopp’s current team do for such a player. Admittedly, German side Liverpool were the best of the Premier League era. Gerrard has won every major honour, including the elusive Premier League title since 1990, and knows full well he was born a generation premature as he reflects on what happened after hanging up his boots. But now that side is at the end of its cycle, aging and stuck in transition.

While the Reds won an unprecedented nearly four times last year, they finished short at the end of the season. They would go on to win a domestic cup double but failed to score against Chelsea at Wembley on both occasions as penalty shoot-outs determined the fate of both the League Cup and the FA Cup. On the decisive last day of the Premier League, Man City bounced back from a 2-0 defeat by Aston Villa to clinch victory and the title. When Liverpool took the lead against Wolves in their last game, Pep Guardiola’s men had already turned the tables. Despite the chance that presented itself, the Reds never touched the trophy, missing by just one point

And then there was Paris, who failed to overcome Real Madrid in the Champions League final. They lost 1-0, went goalless in a final and once again went unanswered.

This was still a team studded with Liverpool legends who won all the major honours. Together they were brilliant. But individually, no one could step up to have that decisive impact Gerrard has repeatedly had when his team needed him most. Perhaps we took such a trait for granted, but when the Reds faced Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night, they were in desperate need of a new miracle worker. With an overall deficit of 5-2 after the humiliation at Anfield, they never looked ready to close that gap in Spain.

Liverpool would stab Thibaut Courtois’ gloves more than once like they had in Paris, but they still looked disappointed and uninspired. Lacking ideas, they leave Europe moaning.

Actually, we shouldn’t be surprised. It’s the story of Klopp’s men’s season. They are now sixth in the Premier League out of all three cup cups and are six points off the top four.

Out of contention this weekend, they could drop back to seventh and widen the gap to nine points. As they travel to Manchester City and Chelsea before hosting Arsenal in their next three Premier League games after the international break in March, with 12 games left of their season, they have everything to do to finish in the top four. Liverpool need a hero. They need one of their players to step in, grab the plays by the neck, and drag their teammates down the line. But this red team has aged together.
All club legends, they have won together again and again for the past six years. But now they are losing together and it costs Klopp a lot of money. Of course, Father Time reaches out to all of us, even the Reds’ greatest ever player. Once Gerrard achieved veteran status, his boots lost that bit of pixie dust.

He would still be one of Liverpool’s best players and enjoy decisive moments, but he may no longer be able to win a game on his own. Chelsea’s infamous misstep in 2014 would prove so much as he unsuccessfully tried to make up for a momentum that proved costly for the Reds’ title challenge.

The following December, in what would prove to be Gerrard’s last Champions League appearance, he scored a late free kick to equalize against Basel as Liverpool bid for qualification for the knockout stages. But this time, 10 years after Olympiacos’ iconic victory, there would be no winner as the Reds exited Europe’s elite competition.

Over the next few months, Gerrard and Liverpool lost to Chelsea in the semi-finals of the League Cup. He watched helplessly, absent through injury, as the Reds exited the Europa League on penalties from Besiktas, and could do nothing to prevent a dismal 2.-1 FA Cup semi-final defeat by Aston Villa.

With the final coming up on the midfielder’s 35th birthday, the way was cleared for Gerrard, who had already announced he would be leaving the club at the end of his contract, to leave his childhood club in a big way. Unfortunately, that cup trip ensured there would be no fairytale ending at Wembley.

A 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace in his final Anfield appearance and an embarrassing 6-1 defeat away at Stoke City in which he scored at least the Reds’ consolation, in his 710th and final appearance for the club has just put some extra salt in the wounds. Although it once seemed that Gerrard could turn a match in his side’s favor with the click of his fingers, the days of him dictating matches for Liverpool are long gone. It was a bench at the Bernabeu in November 2014 that made Gerrard decide to move on. Arriving at Real Madrid’s iconic stadium for the first time since a 1-0 defeat eight and a half years ago, the Reds’ latest narrow defeat marked the end of an era.

While Liverpool are not in as serious a situation yet, the likes of Virgil van Dijk and even Mohamed Salah aren’t consistently deciding matches like they once did when they were at their peak. Now they just need that little help.

The Reds are in limbo, hoping their transition period will last just one season as they wait for their next generation to take over and their next talisman to emerge.

They need their next Steven Gerrard. Admittedly, such a concept is much easier said than done given that such a player only appears once per generation. Maybe Jude Bellingham will be like that if Liverpool manage to sign the Borussia Dortmund man.

But such an aspiration is under threat following the Reds’ European exit as it is uncertain whether they will play Champions League football next season. The implications of such a loss, on and off the pitch, can be crippling.

Liverpool can’t wait for the summer to end, they need to find answers now. A hero must emerge from within.

Gerrard is gone to save the Reds and has been gone for some time. No doubt they haven’t lost even that individual majority winning trait since his departure given what Klopp has managed to build. Why rely on just one player when you have a great team?

But this elite Liverpool side are now on their last legs, with the possibility of one last piece of silverware long gone and without a guiding talisman that can offer that extra something to inspire those around them.

Klopp can only hope they find the lost battle so clearly lost at the Bernabéu during the international break in March to ensure the Reds’ changing of the guard goes as smoothly as possible.

Also.. 

Liverpool transfer news: Jude Bellingham ‘turning point’ and $105m Roberto Firmino heir eyed

Liverpool transfer news amid ‘turning point’ of Jude Bellingham and Roberto Firmino’s $105m heir

Liverpool transfer news: Liverpool have reportedly ‘accelerated’ their push to sign Jude Bellingham as a $105million heir to Roberto Firmino finds himself in the Bundesliga.

Liverpool’s slim chance of lifting a trophy this season was nullified by Real Madrid in the Champions League second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.
A single goal from Karim Benzema, his third of the two games, was enough to secure another win for Real Madrid over Liverpool and another victory over Jurgen Klopp, with the German going winless against the Spanish side as Liverpool manager .

All Liverpool have to fight for now is to try to finish in the top four this season and earn the right to play Champions League football next season. This could have a big impact on Liverpool’s transfer budget this summer and potentially the caliber of players they can bring in for next season (more on that later). From the looks of it, Klopp will have to pick up his players off the floor and dust himself off to start again. But Klopp has time as Liverpool’s next game is just two weeks away and a crucial game against Manchester City.

In the meantime, the transfer rumor mill will surely be in high gear for some time as there is news from Spain forward Jude Bellingham as well as an apparent move for an Eintracht Frankfurt star who could replace Roberto Firmino.

Here’s Liverpool.com’s verdict on the transfer gossip swirling around the Reds today.

Here’s Liverpool.com’s verdict on the transfer gossip swirling around the Reds today.
Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund)

Spanish sources AS and El Mundo have given an update on the Jude Bellingham saga, which will only grow in the coming months.

AS explained that three days ago Liverpool decided to ‘accelerate’ their efforts to sign Bellingham with the aim of beating Real Madrid and Manchester City

El Mundo, meanwhile, believe Liverpool and Real Madrid have been in a ‘race against time’ for months to convince the 19-year-old to choose them as Manchester City enter the fray and set the price at 159. millions of dollars. could soar (£131m/€150m).

El Mundo also explain that Liverpool’s failure to qualify for next season’s Champions League could be a “decisive moment” in their decision on which team to join.

Liverpool.com says: The battle to sign Bellingham has always been fierce, but it really looks like it’s up to Liverpool or Real Madrid at this stage. Man City don’t really need Bellingham given his high quality in midfield.

Liverpool clearly need Bellingham the most, but a lot will depend on finances and whether Liverpool can finish in the top four. If they don’t, Bellingham’s decision could be made on the spot.

Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt)

According to German source SportBild, Liverpool are considering the transfer of Frankfurt forward Randal Kolo Muani this summer to replace outgoing Roberto Firmino.

Firmino has confirmed he will leave Liverpool this summer after eight years at Merseyside, and the club are expected to look for a replacement for the Brazilian.

Bild reports that since his contract with Frankfurt doesn’t expire until the summer of 2027, signing Kolo Muani would cost Liverpool more than $105 million.

Considering how likely the club’s transfer budget is to go to Jude Bellingham and midfield, the chances of Kolo Muani being signed at that price are close to zero.

Liverpool.com says: Liverpool are expected to replace Firmino this summer, but won’t be spending anything close to the reported amount on Kolo Muani or any other striker this summer. The priority is to restart the midfield.

It is probable that the club will try to replace Firmino with a free or cheap signing, not paying more. Kolo Muani is a talent, but this summer is not the right time.

Also..

Real Madrid 1-0 Liverpool: goals and highlights – as it happens. Champions League 22/23

Real Madrid have a three-goal lead to defend as they host Liverpool and look to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Good evening everyone and welcome to another English MARCA live blog, this time covering the huge Champions League comeback between Real Madrid and Liverpool at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. Three weeks after the 5-2 defeat at Anfield, Liverpool travel to Spain for the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie against Real Madrid.

The Reds took an early two-goal lead in the first match, but Blancos made an impressive comeback and are favorites to qualify for the quarter-finals.

After beating Manchester United 7-0 at home, Liverpool could not get past Bournemouth, who beat Jurgen Klopp’s side 1-0 on Saturday. As for Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti’s men secured another victory on Saturday, this time against Espanyol. The Catalan side took the lead through Joselu but Vinicius Junior, Eder Militao and Marco Asensio each scored one to turn things around.

Real Madrid vs Liverpool Live: Latest Updates

Match ends, Real Madrid 1, Liverpool 0.
94

Second Half ends, Real Madrid 1, Liverpool 0.
93

Konstantinos Tsimikas (Liverpool) is shown the yellow card for dangerous fouls. 93

Dani Ceballos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the right wing.
93

Foul by Konstantinos Tsimikas (Liverpool).
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to delay. You are ready to move on.
93

VAR decision: No Real Madrid penalty. 91

Attempt blocked. Rodrygo (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the center of the box. Assisted by Lucas Vazquez.
90

Substitution, Liverpool. Fabio Carvalho replaces Cody Gakpo. 90

Replacement Liverpool. Konstantinos Tsimikas replaces Andrew Robertson.
89

Foul by Harvey Elliott (Liverpool).
89

Nacho (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.
85

Replacement Real Madrid. Lucas Vazquez replaces Daniel Carvajal.
84

Corner kick, Liverpool. Corner kick caused by Antonio Rudiger.
84

Foul by Eder Militao (Real Madrid).
84

Cody Gakpo (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 83

Substitution, Real Madrid. Aurélien Tchouaméni replaces Toni Kroos.
83

Substitution, Real Madrid. Marco Asensio replaces Vinicius Junior.
82

Foul by Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid). 82

Harvey Elliott (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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attempt saved. Harvey Elliott (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked in the left corner. Assisted by Fabinho.
81

Replacement Real Madrid. Rodrygo replaces Karim Benzema through injury.
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Replacement Real Madrid. Dani Ceballos replaces Luka Modric.
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Aim! 1-0 against Real Madrid, 0 against Liverpool. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) shoots with a right footed shot from the center of the box. 76

Corner kick, Liverpool. Corner kick caused by Federico Valverde.
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Attempt failed. Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
74

Foul by Eder Militao (Real Madrid). 74

Cody Gakpo (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Éder Militao (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
73

Foul by Harvey Elliott (Liverpool).
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Replacement Liverpool. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain replaces James Milner. 69

Luka Modric (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
69

Dangerous play by Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool).
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attempt failed. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the center of the six yard box is a bit high. Assisted by Vinicius Júnior. 62

Attempt failed. Federico Valverde (Real Madrid) header from the center of the box is blocked.
57

Corner kick, Liverpool. Corner kick caused by Daniel Carvajal.
56

Substitution, Liverpool. Roberto Firmino replaces Darwin Nunez.
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Replacement Liverpool. Harvey Elliott replaces Diogo Jota.
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Handball by Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid).
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attempt blocked. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the center of the box is blocked. Assisted by Vinicius Júnior.
54

Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
54

Foul by Darwin Nunez (Liverpool).
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Éder Militao (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 53

Foul by Cody Gakpo (Liverpool).
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Attempt saved. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) right footed shot is saved by the goalkeeper! The shot from the center of the area is saved in the center of the goal. Assisted by Federico Valverde.
52

Attempt saved. Federico Valverde (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the middle of the box is blocked in the middle of the goal. Assisted by Karim Benzema with a through ball.
51

Offside, Real Madrid. Eduardo Camavinga tries a through ball, but Vinícius Júnior is caught offside.
51

Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the right wing. 51

Foul by Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool).
50

Nacho (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.
50

Foul by Diogo Jota (Liverpool).
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Foul by Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid).
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James Milner (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 49

Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
49

Foul by Diogo Jota (Liverpool).
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Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
47

Foul by Diogo Jota (Liverpool).
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Corner kick, Liverpool. Corner kick caused by Daniel Carvajal.
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Second Half begins Real Madrid 0, Liverpool 0.
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First Half ends, Real Madrid 0, Liverpool 0.
46

Corner kick, Liverpool. Corner kick caused by Antonio Rudiger. 45

Attempt blocked. The right-footed shot from outside the area is blocked.
45

Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
45

Foul by Darwin Núñez (Liverpool).
44

Real Madrid offside. Toni Kroos tries a through ball, but Federico Valverde is caught offside.
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Liverpool offside. Andrew Robertson tries a through ball, but Cody Gakpo is caught offside.
42

Foul by Federico Valverde (Real Madrid).
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42

Foul by Federico Valverde (Real Madrid).
42

Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
39

Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
39

Foul by Fabinho (Liverpool).
39

Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 39

Foul by Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool).
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Foul by Mohamed Salah (Liverpool).
37

Nacho (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
36

Offside. James Milner tries a through ball, but Diogo Jota is flagged for offside. 36

Attempt blocked. James Milner (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
35

Corner kick, Liverpool. Corner kick caused by Karim Benzema.
35

Corner kick, Liverpool. Corner kick caused by Thibaut Courtois.
35

Attempt saved. Cody Gakpo (Liverpool) right footed shot by the goalkeeper is saved! Attempt saved from the right side of the box in the upper right corner. Assisted by Diogo Jota.
34

Attempt saved. Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the right is saved in the goalkeeper! The attempt from the left side of the box is saved.
33

Attempt failed. Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool) right footed shot from the left side of the box following a corner.
32

Corner kick, Liverpool. Corner kick caused by Thibaut Courtois. 32

attempt saved. Darwin Núñez (Liverpool) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box sees his shot blocked.
32

Offside, Real Madrid. Éder Militão tries a through ball, but Karim Benzema is caught offside.
30

attempt saved. Darwin Núñez (Liverpool) header saved by the goalkeeper!
28

Foul by Nacho (Real Madrid).
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Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the right wing.
26

Federico Valverde (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by James Milner (Liverpool). 25

attempt failed. Cody Gakpo (Liverpool) header from the center of the six yard box misses on the left. Assisted by Trent Alexander Arnold with a cross.
25

Offside, Real Madrid. Karim Benzema tries a through ball, but Vinícius Júnior is caught offside. 



Opportunities on both sides

Despite three goals for Real Madrid, the match is quite open and there was plenty of action from both sides. Alisson made two crucial saves with his counterpart Courtois also denying Darwin.
21

Attempt failed. Luka Modric (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
20

Corner, Real Madrid. Corner kick caused by James Milner.
19

Attempt saved. Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid) left footed shot by the goalkeeper is saved! Attempt saved from outside the area to the top right. Assist by Nacho.
17

Attempt failed. Diogo Jota (Liverpool) left footed shot from the center of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Mohamed Salah.
16

Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
16

Foul by Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool).
13

Attempt saved. Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the right is saved in the goalkeeper! The shot from the right side of the goal area is saved high in the center of the goal. Assisted by Antonio Rüdiger with a header.
13

Corner, Real Madrid. Corner kick caused by Cody Gakpo.
11

Corner kick, Liverpool. Compensation by Antonio Rüdiger.
ten

attempt saved. Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) left footed shot from outside the box sees his shot blocked.
ten

attempt blocked. Federico Valverde (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. ten

Corner, Real Madrid. Collected by Fabinho.
8th

Corner, Real Madrid. Cashed in by James Milner.
7

attempt failed. Federico Valverde (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Toni Kroos following a free kick.
6

Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.
6

Foul by Trent Alexander Arnold (Liverpool).
6

attempt saved. Darwin Núñez (Liverpool) right footed shot from the center of the box is saved.
5

attempt blocked. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) left footed shot to the right of the six yard box is blocked.
4

Corner, Real Madrid. Goal conceded by Ibrahima Konaté.

2
Offside, Real Madrid. Toni Kroos tries a through ball, but Karim Benzema is caught offside.

0
First Half begins.