“No photos, please,” Jürgen Klopp told photographers in the Johan Cruijff Arena press room. The Liverpool boss hasn’t forgotten how to joke, but there’s plenty to laugh about this season for Liverpool, Ajax’s Champions League opponents on Wednesday night.

With a win or a draw in Amsterdam, the English are sure of a place in the next round, but the top English team are currently in eighth place in the Premier League. Liverpool have already lost more games (3) in the league than in all of last season (2).

Does Klopp feel the increasing pressure? “Our work is always stressful, but when you win, life is so much better… We work hard at it because good performance doesn’t come easy.”

Orange captain Virgil van Dijk’s team won very well against Manchester City just over a week ago, but slipped badly against Nottingham Forest (1-0) last weekend. It marks Liverpool’s checkered season.

“It’s a mixture of several things,” Klopp tries to explain the mixed season. “We are not consistent and we are dealing with injuries. The latter also plays a role.”

Klopp has to do without Thiago Alcantara. Good news for Ajax, as the playmaker was a real nuisance for the Amsterdam side in their first game together. Forward Darwin Núñez, known to Ajax from Benfica, is likely to be available again.

serious opponent

Liverpool is apparently still looking, on the other hand Alfred Schreuder also has to put his puzzle together. Nevertheless, Klopp sees Ajax as a serious opponent.

“They’re still a good team. They’re going through a transition. Can you give an example of a transition that happened quickly enough for the outside world? It takes time.”

Klopp was happy with the game against Ajax at Anfield. “Even if you didn’t necessarily see it in the result. What happened to us more often this season also happened: Our opponent scored directly at the first chance. We fought back and won. That was good.”