Jürgen: Reds absolutely prepared for Sion threat
Jürgen Klopp insists Liverpool have done their homework on FC Sion and won't be caught out by the Swiss side's threat on the counter on Thursday evening.
The Reds' place in the last 32 of the Europa League is already secured ahead of tomorrow's clash at the Stade de Tourbillon, but they must avoid defeat in order to ensure they go through as Group B winners.
Didier Tholot's team, meanwhile, have no shortage of motivation for the fixture, as they need at least a draw to see off the challenge of Rubin Kazan for the second qualification spot.
The last meeting between the sides, a 1-1 draw at Anfield, came prior to Klopp's appointment as Liverpool boss in October.
But the German coach is sufficiently clued up on their strengths and has ensured his squad are, too.
"[Sion are] a good team, a good counter-attack team. They have a good idea of the game," the 48-year-old told reporters at a press conference in Switzerland on Wednesday.
"I know their situation not too much in the league, but I know they play Basel on Sunday in the quarter-final [of the cup] - a very important game for them.
"They have good offensive players, good common defending, so we have to be creative, we have to be aware of the counter-attacks and all these things.
"We saw them play - I was not with Liverpool in the first game but I watched it on television, and we saw three or four games of theirs.
"There is a difference between the league in Switzerland and the Europa League but they [have done] well in Europe because they can show their strength in defence and quick transition.
"That's really difficult to play [against], of course."
Klopp also revealed that the last group game between the sides has been of little use to him when preparing for Thursday's outing, given that so much can change in the months between.
When asked by a journalist what differences his own team will show from that fixture, the Reds boss joked: "Do you work for FC Sion?"
He then added: "It's not something we can talk about before the game, you can ask me after the game what was our idea.
"Since [the first game] it's been about two-and-a-half months, so it's a long time in football and in England it's 425 games!
"Nothing is the same so I don't believe in comparison of games against. I know everybody is able to develop and, if you think you can develop, then the other team can develop too.
"You have to watch the last three games, that's more important than our game [in October], and that's what we did.
"[There are] a few injuries, a suspension for Sion, so things are different. We are absolutely prepared and we know it's difficult.
"We have a game on Sunday, they have a game on Sunday, so there's no difference, but tomorrow they have to win to go through and if we win we are first in the table - that's what we want to be."