Lionel Messi has tipped Liverpool to be one of the leading contenders for the Champions League, having “returned” to top form.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have already secured qualification to the knockout stages, ahead of Wednesday’s clash with Porto, after earning maximum points from their first four group games.
Liverpool have scored 13 goals in the process of overcoming a tough group, involving AC Milan, Atletico Madrid, and Porto.
Their clinical nature in front of goal, combined with the Reds’ impressive league form, has caught the attention of Lionel Messi , who insists Liverpool are back to their best.
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“Today, Liverpool is very well, it has returned to being the Liverpool that won the Champions League,” the PSG man told Marca.
“Then there are City, Bayern, Madrid, Atletico ...
“There are many teams that can fight for this Champions League, which is one of the most even and competitive in recent years because there are several teams that can choose to win it.”
It represents a u-turn for the former Barcelona star, who ignored Liverpool when picking his favourites to win the competition back in October, telling L’Equipe: “It is true that the centre of attention is on PSG, but there are other very strong teams, such as Chelsea, the Manchester teams (United and City), Real Madrid, who always responds, Inter, Bayern.
Messi was part of the Barcelona side that suffered an unforgettable 4-0 defeat at Anfield, en route to the Reds lifting their sixth European Cup in 2019.
The club then won the Premier League for the first time in 2020, but an injury crisis curtailed their title ambitions last term.
Now with PSG, alongside former Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum , Messi has played down talk that the French side are one of the leading favourites for the Champions League .
The Argentinian was one of several big names that joined up with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in the summer, but Messi suggested that PSG are still “consolidating as a team”.
“Everyone says that we are the big favourites and I will not deny that we are one of the candidates by name , but we still need things to be a really strong team,” he said.
“We have to finish consolidating as a team and we have the advantage of having very great players to achieve it.
“But we are not the only ones, there are other great teams that are candidates. The Champions League is a very difficult competition , that makes it so beautiful and special.
“The best teams are there and it is getting more and more complicated. Yes, we are one of the favourites, but not the only ones.”
