Jürgen Klopp predicted Anfield to once again showcase its very best when Liverpool return to Champions League action by taking on Bayern Munich on Tuesday evening, describing how the atmosphere generated can raise the performance level of his side 'from 100 per cent to 140 per cent'.

The Reds go head-to-head with the reigning German champions in the first leg of the last-16 showdown as European duties resume following a two-month recess.

Ahead of the clash, Klopp addressed the world’s media at Anfield during a pre-match press conference on Monday lunchtime, in which he tackled a range of topics put to him by the assembled journalists.

Among the questions was a query on how he views Bayern’s season so far, how he feels about staging the first leg at Anfield and the impact fans can make, and whether there was any preference about which trophy he’d most like the Reds to lift at the end of the campaign.

Read on for a summary of what Klopp had to say…

On how Liverpool will approach the final third of the season…

Game by game. Game by game, you cannot think about it in a different way. If you asked Manchester United tonight when they face Chelsea if they are already thinking about our game on Sunday, I don’t think [they are]. We have only had tough months in this season, there was not one month where you thought, ‘Oh, good, only these opponents…’ – it is always tough. We have to be ready for that and hopefully we are. We have to be focused 100 per cent on the game tomorrow night otherwise we don’t have a chance, that’s absolutely sure.

On how he views Bayern Munich’s season so far and the threat they’ll pose…

Pretty much how it is most of the time, I am not sure if it is an English saying as well, but always when Munich has a difficult situation it is 'moaning on a really high level' because after being six years the dominator of the league, it was clear this year would be a more difficult year. It is a completely normal situation. They are two points in the moment [behind] because Dortmund play tonight, but they play Dortmund at home and so nothing is decided in the league. Being in the cup still and being in the Champions League in the last 16, it is a completely normal situation with a high-quality team. To become the champion, you need to have the desire of a newcomer combined with the quality of a real contender. In the beginning of the season, after being six years champions, maybe they didn’t have that but meanwhile, they are chasing the leaders so [now] they have it back. The situation in Munich, from my point of view, makes them even more dangerous, more of a threat than they were before. This is a competition in which they were historically always good [in], but we have our own targets, we have our own aims, we want to be strong, we want to show. In Germany a lot of people are talking now about the atmosphere of Anfield, talking about that maybe we are the most emotional club in world football. Emotion in my opinion is a very positive thing, so let’s show that tomorrow night – let’s make it a very emotional place, let’s make it a very lively place on the pitch, in the stands and let’s enjoy the game together. It is a tough one against a really strong and very experienced team, but we are strong as well and that’s what we have to show.

On whether being at Anfield for the first leg will be an advantage…

No, usually not, but we don’t care too much. We showed that, we had that a couple of times – we played against Roma and City first at home. Even when we had really good results it gave us a big job to do for the second leg. These games usually when two good teams face each other will not be decided in one game. You make a little advantage, or you have a little disadvantage or whatever, but we respect the competition, there are two legs to play and we will be 100 per cent focused in both of them. For tomorrow night, we can only play at home so let’s make the best of it and that’s to create the basis we can use in the second game. It is difficult, but it is possible.

On how he hopes Liverpool will benefit from the training camp in Marbella…

You can say that it’s better that you have the rhythm and you keep the rhythm, or you have what we had now – this little break. We used the time, we had to use the time – we had to work on a lot of tactical things. How we saw it, we prepared for the rest of the season, so we used the time for that and tried to give some inputs, tactical wise, fitness wise and all that stuff. We needed the time as well to bring a couple of players back who were out before that, so for that it for sure it helped. For all the rest, we will see. What is better: having the rhythm or having a little rhythm break? I don’t know, we didn’t think really about it because we couldn’t change [it]. We tried to use our situation, now we play them and maybe the answer will be given tomorrow night.

CL, 2018-19 CL, 2018-19

On how he is enjoying life in Liverpool since arriving from Germany in 2015…

Oh, very much. Much more than I could have expected because you never know. The welcome was outstanding and since then it became better and better. We grew together, we developed together -  all of us. I have said it a couple of times, I am not very often in the city so I don’t know exactly what people think about me, us or whatever, but I feel it in the stadium: the mood and the atmosphere is really positive. The best thing of all the things we did so far since we have been together is that we are a real competitor again. That’s of course not enough, but it’s for sure a very important step. In this very competitive league and very competitive Champions League, being qualified for two years in a row – and hopefully next season, a third year in a row - is unusual because it didn’t happen too often in the past. That then being part of the competition and people thinking we could beat Bayern, that’s a big thing but in the end we have to prove it. The story so far is a nice one but it isn’t finished.

On facing his former players, Mats Hummels and Robert Lewandowski…

I worked together with these two boys and I loved it. Two fantastic players and I have to be really thankful because without them, probably my career would not have been the same. We all benefitted from each other. I remember my first phone call with Mats Hummels, I remember when I saw Robert Lewandowski the first time and all that stuff. It is part of my life and part of my history, so that’s nice. We will always have a lot of respect for each other. Yes, I know a lot [about them] but I would not say I know everything about them because it is already three-and-a-half or five years ago that we worked together, but I followed their path, I follow their way, so I know a lot about them. I really like them, but for tomorrow night we will try everything to let them not shine, let’s put it like this. It is difficult enough, but we will still try.

On whether facing a German team adds any ‘extra dimension’ to the tie for him…

No [extra] dimension, only more stress because I could have had 600 interviews with German newspapers, television and stuff like that… thank God I didn’t do it! But all the interest is nice because I am part of that game, but it is not a little bit personal or whatever. The story Uli Hoeness brought up - or whoever brought it up – that in 2008 we had two phone calls, I have known that since 2008 but never told anyone. [Now] they say it, I can say ‘Yes, that’s how it was’ so no problem. There was never any negative things with Bayern, but then when we played each other and when they bought our players, how can I be happy always and say, ‘Great, good idea, I’ll bring him in my car!’? That was not the case, it was not nice for us at Dortmund, but it is part of the business. It is long ago and I was never in my life able to be angry for a long time; in these moments I was not happy, I probably said it and probably everybody could see I was not happy, but it was long ago. It is a big club, we all know that. It was a big competition for us in Germany when I was there. I wish Borussia Dortmund will be champion, of course, but that’s pretty much all.

On whether he would choose to win the Premier League or the Champions League this season, if he had to pick one…

It is difficult for me to answer in the same way [as a supporter]. If we would have to decide, then for all Liverpool fans it is the Premier League – that is clear and we know that. But now we play Champions League and I think they all expect we do our best tomorrow night. That’s what we will do. Thank God we don’t have to make that decision today. We will not know today or tomorrow, the only thing we can do is give it our all and play very passionate football, very lively football – the football people expect when they come to Anfield. We expect a good atmosphere, but we know about the part we have to play; we have to create the atmosphere as well on the pitch and make it easier for the people, but it will be outstanding tomorrow night. I know that a lot of players from other teams always say ‘It is really good and I am looking forward to going there’ because it’s true, it is something to enjoy, but on the other hand there is a lot of power involved in that. I have experienced now a couple of times, that our crowd is really able to push us from 100 to 120, 130 or 140 per cent. I never would have thought that was possible but it happened here from time to time – and hopefully tomorrow night again.