Press conferenceDiogo Jota on his form, two deciders and showing PSG 'a different face'
Diogo Jota discussed his form, a big week and the ‘different face’ Liverpool want to show against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night.
The Portugal international spoke to the media this evening to preview the second leg of the Reds’ Champions League last-16 showdown with Luis Enrique’s PSG at Anfield.
Jota and co possess a 1-0 lead from the opening meeting in Paris, where Arne Slot’s side kept the hosts at bay – with huge help from Alisson Becker’s goalkeeping masterclass – before Harvey Elliott delivered a late winner.
Liverpool will aim to complete the job and advance to the quarter-finals amid another significant spell that also sees them face Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday.
Jota is determined to play his part in those ambitions as he searches for his peak form – read a summary of his media briefing below…
On his fitness and form at the moment…
It’s been a difficult season for me personally. I had a few complications throughout the season. Obviously these last couple of months are the ones that matter the most, where you decide things. I don’t feel I’m on my best form at the moment but certainly by playing I will get there. And I always try to do my best, no matter what.
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Watch on YouTubeOn Mohamed Salah’s incredible numbers so far this season…
It’s outstanding. I think at the moment people almost stopped counting because he’s just doing incredible things and then in the end we’ll just see the final numbers. It’s for sure the player I played with, at least, the biggest season. The difference is so big, it’s like, let’s see the final numbers. Obviously that helped us a lot because we know we can rely on him to do a lot of things – create chances, either scoring or assisting. Obviously it’s good to have a player like that in the team.
On challenging for multiple trophies…
It’s a big week. We knew that before, the Southampton game was massive because it’s the only game we play this month in the Premier League. We did our job there and now two more games in this week for two different competitions. Two are decisive but one the trophy is on the line already. One game at a time. Tomorrow it’s a big game and we obviously want to go through, and obviously on the weekend to win the first trophy. But like I said, one game at a time.
On whether Liverpool will need to be patient on Tuesday night…
I think they had the ball more than we expected [in the first leg], they dominated the game in the way they created chances, and obviously we were too far away from their goal a lot of the time. But in the end we won the game, so we know that. Obviously tomorrow here with our fans we want to show a different face and the game will be different for sure. But in the end we just want to go through.
On when he felt he was last at his optimal form…
I don’t know, obviously sometimes you can have bad games, sometimes you can also have good games when you get the form you are talking about, it’s like when you have a certain amount of games. I think in the end, as long as you keep being useful to the team, that’s the most important thing. Sometimes not only the stats, but the way you can connect to your teammates and the way you can help the team defensively and how you can help the team get the win, that’s what I try to do every time I’m on the pitch. But obviously as a striker I want to get involved in scoring goals, creating those opportunities, and every game is a new opportunity to do that.
