Interview'Very important' – Kostas Tsimikas previews Carabao Cup tie with Leicester
Kostas Tsimikas has outlined the hunger within Liverpool’s squad to attack their Carabao Cup third-round tie with Leicester City.
The Reds welcome the Foxes, who sit top of the Championship, to Anfield on Wednesday seeking to extend their unbeaten start to the season to eight matches after they defeated West Ham United 3-1 in the Premier League at the weekend.
And Tsimikas, who on Monday signed a new long-term contract with the club, is eager to play his part as Jürgen Klopp’s squad try to take the first step towards regaining the trophy they won in 2021-22.
“It’s very important. We will go for it, we see every game and every competition differently,” the left-back told Liverpoolfc.com.
“I think all the players who will play this game, they are hungry for this game so of course we want to win first of all and together with our fans we will try to do as much as we possibly can and to win this game.”
Tsimikas made his first start of the campaign in last Thursday’s Europa League win at LASK and he wants to build on that when Enzo Maresca’s side visit L4.
“Yeah, of course [I want to]. Always I try to see with this direction, always I wanted to play more and more and more, to challenge myself,” he said.
“Of course, it’s a big, big opportunity for me and all the boys who will play and always I try to give absolutely everything when I play and I will do exactly that. I really can’t wait for this game.”
Younger members of Liverpool’s squad are often afforded senior opportunities in the Carabao Cup and, as an experienced international, Tsimikas considers it important for him to support his more youthful teammates.
The 27-year-old continued: “Of course, I think everybody helps the young guys. I think when the manager chooses them to play they fully deserve that.
“We have very good players, it doesn’t matter what age they are, always when they play they give everything so they fully deserve this opportunity. So, of course, we have to help them, we have to be there, we have to give them the advice and things you know [from] year by year in the game because sometimes it is hard for them.
“So, always you have to suggest to them what is best for them, but I think our players are fully committed there so you don’t have to say a lot of things.”
A dramatic quarter-final success over Leicester, earned via a penalty shootout after the tie had finished 3-3, formed part of the Reds’ journey to glory in this competition two seasons ago and Tsimikas stated: “I think, as I remember, it was a very tough game, a very strong opponent.
“It doesn’t matter now that they are in the second league [Championship], I think they will come for us, they will give absolutely everything, so we have to be, in every part of the game, 100 per cent there [and] 100 per cent focused.
“So, it’s going to be a very, very tough game so we have to be 100 per cent ready for this game. Of course, we want to win, we want to win this trophy again. Everything is special on the way there and we have to go for it.”