Liverpool midfielder Florian Wirtz spoke about the challenge facing his team in their clash with defending champions Paris Saint-Germain tomorrow, Wednesday, in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, against the backdrop of the Reds’ lacklustre performances this season.
Wirtz began Tuesday’s pre-match press conference by sharing his assessment of the current season: “We certainly hoped for a better season. We had specific goals, and the team won the league last season, so retaining the title was our aim this season as well. But we’re still in the Champions League, and there’s still something to play for, as well as securing qualification for next season’s competition. Things haven’t gone exactly as we’d hoped, but there’s still plenty to play for.”
On the significance of the Champions League: “This is a massive competition, and Champions League matches are always special. So we’re trying to enjoy it and go as far as we can. We hope to get through this round, and we know how difficult it is because the best teams in the world are playing here. It’s good to face these clubs to see where we stand right now.”
On why Liverpool have performed better in the Champions League than in the league: “I think we’ve played well in the league, but the results perhaps show just how tough the Premier League is; it’s a strong league where any team can beat another. Champions League nights are always a bit different; you’re up against clubs from different countries with varied styles of play. So far we’ve enjoyed this journey, and we’re looking forward to facing Paris Saint-Germain tomorrow.”
He commented on Van Dijk’s remark that Liverpool had “given up” against Manchester City: “I didn’t know Virgil had said that. Personally, I don’t entirely agree with that assessment because we tried to create chances and turn the game around. Of course, when time is running out and you’re 3-0 down by the 80th minute, it’s mentally tough to keep running and trying with the same intensity. We tried to give our best even when the score was 3-0 and 4-0, and I think we had a few chances then. Losing 4-0 to City isn’t up to our standards; we wanted to qualify, and next year we want to be better.”
On his sense of responsibility to deliver a strong performance tomorrow: “Yes, of course. These are the matches every player wants to be part of, and it’s what I dreamed of when I came to this club. So we’ll try to give everything to put in a good performance tomorrow, and next week at Anfield too. As a player, you always want to be involved in these fixtures and make sure we get through this round.”
As for the team’s ability to compete in big games: “We’ve shown this season that we’re good in big games, especially in the Champions League. The last round against Galatasaray wasn’t easy; they’re a good side. We believe in ourselves; we have a good squad with strong characters, fantastic players and a good manager who tries to prepare us for the match in the best possible way. The fact that the second leg is at our ground could be an advantage, so we’ll try to get a good result that paves the way for us at Anfield.”
He concluded by speaking about the players’ confidence in manager Arne Slot: “Yes, of course. We believe in the manager, and the team has to trust him because he won the league title last season. We’ve played a lot of good games this season; we’d have liked the results to be better, but that’s the reality now and we still have goals to fight for. All I can say is that we trust the manager and we’ll give it our all tomorrow.”