'Liverpool can win Champions League'

Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren believes his team can win the Champions League after their impressive victory over Porto, in which a Sadio Mane hat-trick and goals from Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino saw Jurgen Klopp's side to a 5-0 away win in the first leg of their last-16 tie on Wednesday.

That has left Lovren confident Liverpool can go all the way and win a sixth European crown and first since 2005.

"Why not? Of course," the Croatia international said. "Yes, if we are right and we do our job like we did and everyone defends well – each centimetre of the pitch is covered – then we have a great chance to be in the next round, I would say, and then it is step by step."

 

15 February 2018

However, the likes of Manchester City, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have been more fancied to win the Champions League. But Lovren said he was unfazed that his team were not attracting the same focus.

"It is good when they don't talk about us. Maybe they would consider them to be the favourites – even better," he said. "We are the underdogs I would say. I love that when people think that about us".

"It is something from deep inside that will explode, but we need to be calm and finish the second game at home and let's see what happens later."

Liverpool will play the return leg at Anfield on 6th March.