Liverpool’s stunning Champions League journey so far this season has provided the squad with both short and long-term benefits in their development, Jürgen Klopp believes.

The Reds will contest the second leg of the semi-final tie with AS Roma in Italy on Wednesday night holding a 5-2 lead from the initial meeting as they aim to reach their first final in the tournament since 2007.

So far in the competition this term, an astonishing 44 goals have been scored in 13 matches, including the qualifying round against TSV Hoffenheim, while FC Porto and Manchester City were eliminated at the hands of Liverpool en route to the last-four stage.

“100 per cent it helps [with development], but you cannot ask for it - you have to do it,” Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com on board the team flight to Rome. “Then you realise during the journey how it works in helping. 

“So far, it’s been a really exciting trip, a really exciting journey, and I am absolutely happy about it. The performances have been brilliant. That always brings you into this situation where the next game is the most important one - and that’s the situation we are in now. 

“Of course, I think it will help us. It helps us in the short-term to be really looking forward to the game and in the long-term to create a common history [between us], our own little history. It helps, absolutely. 

“It’s not that you can pick it from the experience table and say, ‘OK, today we need this or that’, it’s more a feeling. You are that more used to different situations and you can be really focused on the game and don’t have to think too much about different circumstances.”

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Ahead of the first leg with Roma at Anfield last week, Klopp spoke of the need for his squad to begin to create their own stories to add to the annals of Liverpool’s illustrious history.

And while the boss can understand why some are beginning to dream about whether that desire can be made a reality this season in the Champions League, he is eager to stress that 90 difficult minutes await his team in Rome on Wednesday as the Serie A side attempt to muster a response to their first-leg loss.

“Now it looks like we could have a chance to do it, but some of what we’re done already has made history - winning 5-0 in Porto is making history,” continued Klopp.

“The closer you get, the more exciting it is but there is nothing decided - that’s good, that’s OK, it’s a semi-final and should be like this. 

“We could have been sitting here with a 5-0 win in the bag and then people would ask how we’d go through the game now and all that stuff. But Roma would have still came and tried everything. 

“Of course, that [5-0] would have been a better situation - but this situation is good as well. 

“We are here because we took it game-by-game with 100 per cent focus - and that is what we will try to do again. Then we will see what happens.”

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