Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has compared Atalanta to Leeds United ahead of his side's Champions League clash with the Italian outfit.
The Reds, who took up top spot in the Premier League table with a 2-1 victory over West Ham United on Saturday evening, travel to Italy on Tuesday evening looking to register their third successive win in Europe so far this season.
The Reds defeated Ajax 1-0 away from home in their opening game of Group D before recording a hard-fought 2-0 win over Danish outfit FC Midtjylland last week. Now, though, according to Klopp, Liverpool face their toughest assignment in the Champions League so far this season, as they prepare to take on an Atalanta side who reached the quarter-finals of the competition last season.
And ahead of his team's meeting with Gian Piero Gasperini's troops, Klopp has compared the Serie A outfit to Leeds, insisting they have a similar style to the Elland Road club.
"This is the biggest challenge for us so far in the Champions League, Klopp said ahead of his side's trip to Italy.
"Atalanta are special in their approach, slightly similar to Leeds, style and organisation-wise, so it will be a tough one."
Leeds, of course, pushed Liverpool all the way on the opening day of the Premier League season at Anfield, losing 4-3 in what was a remarkable effort from Marcelo Bielsa's side against the reigning Premier League title holders.
After narrowly edging out Bielsa's troops to claim all three points back in September, Klopp had nothing but praise for Leeds' approach to the contest.
"Leeds is special," the German said. "I said it before the game, in the game everyone saw it obviously.
"People can say Leeds performed outstandingly well, how can these mistakes happen to Liverpool, things that everyone is saying but I knew they would cause us problems."
