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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Connor Dunn

Avid Liverpool fan and musician Loyle Carner explains how he won't miss Barcelona match despite being on stage

Liverpool fans around the world are gearing up to watch the Champions League semi-final tonight.

Jurgen Klopp's side are set to face European heavyweights Barcelona at the Camp Nou in what is a mouth-watering clash.

Thousands of Reds have made the journey to the Spanish city while millions of other supporters across the globe get set to catch the game in any way they can.

How Liverpool vs Barcelona team sheet could look - Roberto Firmino starts as Jurgen Klopp ponders huge defensive decisions

And for one popular hip-hop musician, that means timing two shows tonight to be played either side of the match.

Loyle Carner is touring Europe right now and is set to play at Band on the Wall in Manchester on Wednesday evening.

He is a huge Liverpool fan and explained what he plans to do to still be able to catch all of the action, despite being on stage twice, as the Reds bid to get the upper-hand in the first-leg of their clash with the Catalan giants.

Loyle Carner who was on the shortlist for the Mercury Prize in 2017 (PA)

The 24-year-old musician also joked about the final in Kiev last May where he had to rent out a pub out next door to Leeds Festival so he could watch the game.

He was asked in an interview with BBC Five Live how as a Liverpool fan he has managed to arrange two gigs when his team are playing in such a huge match.

Jurgen Klopp transformed Liverpool from wide-eyed spectators into team that belong among cream of Europe

"It is plaguing me. It just keeps happening," he said.

"We played in Leeds last year when Liverpool were in the Champions League final.

"I thought - I can't play the show, this might never happen again.

Mo Salah and his team-mates leave for Barcelona at Liverpool John Lennon Airport (Andrew Teebay)

"You hear about Istanbul and I've got all these flashbacks of watching it with my dad and just thought I have to be there.

"In the end we rented out a pub next door to the festival and watched it until two minutes until the show time but obviously we were losing and Mo Salah's arm plus some goalkeeping howlers it was awful.

"However, the good thing about tonight is that we are playing two shows - one is at 6.45pm and finished at 7.45pm so I'm off stage, watch the football and hopefully see the whole game because I'm back on stage at 9.45pm.

"Magic. It's timed like show, football, show."

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