Red Bull Salzburg hotshot Erling Haaland has warned Liverpool he's ready to end their Champions League hopes... and will do it with a smile on his face.
The Austrian upstarts know that a win on home soil against Jurgen Klopp's European champions on Tuesday will dump the Reds out of the competition - and send Salzburg into the last 16.
Salzburg see their group finale as a bonus, having already achieved the expectation of securing third spot and a Europa League place after Christmas.
But now they're looking to dump Liverpool into UEFA's secondary competition instead, and Haaland is relishing the prospect.
"We have nothing to lose," said the Norwegian teen. "We will go out there and enjoy ourselves, smile, enjoy the game.
"It's the biggest game of my life so far and I'm looking forward to it.
"I'm living the dream and its matches like this that you dream of."
Haaland has become the hottest young prospect in European football, having scored in each of their five group games so far.
But he insists he's paying no attention to transfer speculation.
"I just focus on my job, playing football, enjoying what I do every day. Enjoying the moment, right now, and to focus on Salzburg."
Coach Jesse Marsch will become the first American to lead a side into the Champions League knockout stages if his side can pull off a surprise upset.
"We see it as an opportunity for us," said Marsch.
"We go into the game with a relaxed mind, and will give everything that we have.
"It's crazy this opportunity for us. We are ready to make something special tomorrow."
Meanwhile Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp plans to continue his recent rotation policy and looks set to make a number of changes from the side that beat Bournemouth so comprehensively on Saturday.
The Reds' manager was able to rest Divock Origi and Sadio Mane following their starring roles against Everton in midweek, and both are in line to feature.
Klopp said: "We’ll see how we start on Tuesday, I have no idea about that now. But we could give these two [Origi and Mane], plus Gini [Wijnaldum] and Adam [Lallana], so four players kind of a rest and hopefully they are all fit again for Tuesday and we will make decisions.”
