NewsAndy Robertson: 'It's a massive game - we have to do everything we can to win'
Arne Slot's side are required to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Galatasaray at Anfield (8pm GMT kick-off) in the last-16 tie with the reigning Turkish Super Lig champions.
Mario Lemina's goal was enough to separate the two teams at RAMS Park in the opening fixture, handing a slender advantage to Okan Buruk's outfit ahead of the return meeting.
Speaking in a pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Robertson described the contest as 'massive' for the Reds as he covered a range of subjects with journalists.
Read on for a summary of what he had to say below…
On his future at Liverpool…
I don't think today is the day to discuss that. I think 24 hours before a massive Champions League game... I don't think anyone should be talking about their future. We've got such a massive game ahead of us. I know it's a boring answer... I can only apologise for that, but my full focus is being part of this team and trying to get through tomorrow night. We've obviously given ourselves an uphill battle. I think full focus has to be on that and there will be time to talk about my future, but I'm not sure today is that day.
On the mindset in the group while trying to find more consistency this season…
It's a frustration. I think we're all frustrated at the fact that we can't find consistency because last season that's probably what set us apart from everyone in the league. That's why we ended up winning the league pretty comfortably. It's hard to put your finger on why we've not been able to get that consistency this season. It's been a huge frustration for all of us. We've all been trying to put our finger on it. We've all been trying to demand it, trying to keep working towards it but for whatever reason we've not quite found it yet. But we can't give up trying.
We need to keep trying to fight through it and we need to try to keep finding that consistency because that's the only way we try to turn this season around. I know time is running out and I know games are running out, but we've got a chance tomorrow night to get in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, which would obviously be good for us. We're still in the FA Cup and we have to sort out our league form. That's a fact. We won't give up on it. We'll keep trying to find the answers towards that and hopefully we can find it sooner rather than later.
On the feeling and reaction among fans after Sunday's game…
I don't think we have concerns over that. The thing that was most disappointing was our fans left unhappy. I think since I've been here for nine years now our aim is always to be sending our fans home happy because when they go bounding out of Anfield we know we've done our job. I think in football that gives you the biggest satisfaction, that people are heading back into the pubs or back to their families that night happy with what they've seen on the pitch.
On Sunday they weren't happy and neither were we and I can completely understand that. In terms of tomorrow night, it doesn't worry me at all because Anfield under the lights and our fans being in that stadium, they've been here before and they'll be here many, many times in the future as well. They always produce special nights. We've been very lucky to have so many over the years that I've been here. I don't think tomorrow night will be any different, but we have to give them something to shout about, we have to give them something to cheer and we have to give them something to get off their chairs and off their seats. If we can do that then we know the Liverpool fans react off that. It doesn't take them much, which is a credit to them. They cheer a lot of things and even the basics. They'll be right behind us tomorrow night, but we have to give them something to get behind.
On the aim being to progress in the competition and still eyeing trophies this season…
Yeah, of course, and that has to be the aim in terms of qualification, definitely. With trophies, even when we were in amazing moments in 2018-19 or 2019-20, we never looked too far ahead... of course we have dreams of winning the trophies, but we have to focus on the next game ahead and we've always worked like that.
Tomorrow night's a massive game for us. We have to do everything we can to win that game and then if we're in the quarter-finals we'll focus on the quarter-finals and keep going like that and that's always the way we've worked. In terms of Champions League qualification, this club demands it. This club demands it and the fans demand it. We've got such a good relationship with the Champions League and this club has to be in the Champions League year in and year out. I think when I've been here there's only been one year that we failed, and it was a difficult season. Hopefully that's not going to be the case this season.
On how pivotal this game is in the season as a whole…
The Champions League has always been important to this football club and obviously last season we fell at this hurdle, but I suppose we were protected at the fact that we were quite a bit ahead in the Premier League. It looked as if at this point last season we were going to be champions. It was probably a matter of when and not if. This season we don't have that. We believe that this squad is good enough to be in the last eight of the Champions League, but we have to show it. I don't think we showed it enough last week, I thought we struggled at times all over the pitch. The performance level has to go up and we know that. But if we do that then I believe we're a good team on the day and we've shown that this season.
In the Champions League we've had good performances and we need to go and show that again. If we do that, then I believe we are good enough and can be in the last eight of the Champions League. It's a massive game because it's the next game, the next is always the biggest. But it's also a massive game because we believe that we can get through the tie, and we believe that we can go into the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Then you're a step further to achieving your dreams. That's why it's massive and that's why it's big and we're looking forward to it. It's up to all of us to produce a good performance and if we do that hopefully we send our fans home a lot happier than we did on Sunday.
On drawing on past experiences of overturning deficits...
Of course. I think the one that comes to mind is obviously Barcelona. Now, we were 3-0 down that day and nobody gave us a chance. I think a lot of people still give us a chance in this tie. Of course you have to rely on your experience, you have to rely on lads that have been in this position before, because that's what's going to help us. Then obviously you have the young lads that maybe haven't experienced it to bring that fresh energy and that no fear. That's when you get the right balance within the squad. Tomorrow night it's important that we show the best version of ourselves. And then if we do that as a team then I believe we've got enough quality within our changing room to win the game of football. That's all we can focus on.
Because with the aggregate score it's not as if we have to go chasing goals or whatever. We have to win the game of football tomorrow. And if we do that then it gives us a chance to get through. I think that's got to be the main aim for starters and then the lads are really good at feeling within the game if you're on top, you keep on top. We've probably not been good enough this season at killing teams off. I think [on] Sunday we weren't good enough when we were on top to kill Tottenham off, and then we gave them confidence and then they believed that they could get something and they end up getting it. So I think we need to be better at that and hopefully we can do that tomorrow. If we do get on top then we stay on top and hopefully we're the ones going through.
On facing Galatasaray...
We've obviously been beaten by them twice already this season but they were also away from home. Credit to the Galatasaray fans, I think they made a difficult atmosphere for us [in] both games over there. But now it's our turn to be at home. We've always been a different team at home and hopefully we can show that tomorrow night. But in terms of certain players, I think as a team Galatasaray are a very strong team.
I think they have quality all over the pitch, they have pace up front, they look secure at the back, they've got a hard-working midfield. So, it's about us just winning our battles, trying to be better against the player you're up against. If we do that then I believe the quality we've got in our squad is enough to shine through. If that happens then I believe the goals will come and we can win the game.
On the previous meetings with Galatasaray...
Look, I think the advantage for them in that game was they had their home support behind them. They reacted off that and I think they created a really difficult atmosphere and things like that. But also the players produced two really good performances. And I think we were below par in both games and I don't think tomorrow we can afford to be below par.
I think we have to be better than the two games that we've already played. And if we do that then I believe we can show the real Liverpool, that we've shown at times this season. That's a difficult team to play against, so we have to show that tomorrow night. And if we do that then I believe we've got more than enough quality in our changing room to flip this tie.