Jurgen Klopp said every club left in the Champions League will have designs on winning it but despite Liverpool cruising into the quarter-finals the German downplayed his own team's chances as they struggle for form on the domestic front.
Liverpool advanced after Wednesday's 2-0 win over RB Leipzig completed a 4-0 aggregate victory, moving the 2019 winners into the quarters for the third time in four seasons.
With the Merseyside club languishing in eighth spot in the Premier League, seven points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, winning the Champions League appears their best shot at qualifying for Europe's elite club competition next season.
"The only reason you play in this competition is because you want to win it," Klopp said.
"I am not silly, we know so far this is not a season which looks like we will win the Champions League, but that doesn't mean we don't want to go as far as possible and then we will see what is possible for us.
"Now we have to wait for the draw; it will be extremely tough whoever we get, but we don't really think that far, we don't have to."
Mohamed Salah, who opened the scoring in the 70th minute on Wednesday before Sadio Mane made it 2-0, said it was important to focus game by game.
"The team is not in the best shape but we want to fight in the Champions League and in each game in the Premier League," he said.
"We don't have to look to the big picture because sometimes when you do, we see too much pressure carried on to the pitch. We just need to leave the pressure off the field and play."
Both legs of the last-16 tie were played at the Puskas Arena in the Hungarian capital due to Germany's Covid-19 related travel restrictions.
While it was an unusual 'home' game for Liverpool, there was a more familiar look to the 2019 Champions League winners' lineup with Brazilian Fabinho back in a midfield role.
Mane had an early chance but blasted over from a promising position yet Leipzig knew one goal for them could set the nerves jangling for Juergen Klopp's side.
Liverpool keeper Alisson Becker did well to smother a shot from Dani Olmo in the 11th minute while at the other end Diogo Jota saw a header tipped over the bar by Leipzig keeper Peter Gulacsi.
Gulacsi, a former Liverpool player, then did well again to keep out a Salah shot after the Egyptian had been set free by a long ball forward from Thiago Alcantara.
The Germans continued to ask questions though with Emil Forsberg shooting wide from inside the box in the 33rd minute but Liverpool should have had the lead before the break.
Gulacsi parried another Jota effort and then on the stroke of halftime the Portuguese forward wasted a great chance when the ball fell to him at the back post, after poor defending from Dayot Upamecano, but he fired into the side netting.
Liverpool finally broke through in the 70th minute when Jota fed Salah, who cut across the top of the penalty area before drilling into the bottom corner.
Four minutes later, Mane made it 2-0 on the night when he met a Divock Origi cross from the right with a first-time finish, steering the ball home with the outside of his foot.
Liverpool visit Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Monday.
- Reuters
Klopp downplays Liverpool's Champions League title hopes
Image: BERNADETT SZABO / REUTERS
Jurgen Klopp said every club left in the Champions League will have designs on winning it but despite Liverpool cruising into the quarter-finals the German downplayed his own team's chances as they struggle for form on the domestic front.
Liverpool advanced after Wednesday's 2-0 win over RB Leipzig completed a 4-0 aggregate victory, moving the 2019 winners into the quarters for the third time in four seasons.
With the Merseyside club languishing in eighth spot in the Premier League, seven points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, winning the Champions League appears their best shot at qualifying for Europe's elite club competition next season.
"The only reason you play in this competition is because you want to win it," Klopp said.
"I am not silly, we know so far this is not a season which looks like we will win the Champions League, but that doesn't mean we don't want to go as far as possible and then we will see what is possible for us.
"Now we have to wait for the draw; it will be extremely tough whoever we get, but we don't really think that far, we don't have to."
Mohamed Salah, who opened the scoring in the 70th minute on Wednesday before Sadio Mane made it 2-0, said it was important to focus game by game.
"The team is not in the best shape but we want to fight in the Champions League and in each game in the Premier League," he said.
"We don't have to look to the big picture because sometimes when you do, we see too much pressure carried on to the pitch. We just need to leave the pressure off the field and play."
Both legs of the last-16 tie were played at the Puskas Arena in the Hungarian capital due to Germany's Covid-19 related travel restrictions.
While it was an unusual 'home' game for Liverpool, there was a more familiar look to the 2019 Champions League winners' lineup with Brazilian Fabinho back in a midfield role.
Mane had an early chance but blasted over from a promising position yet Leipzig knew one goal for them could set the nerves jangling for Juergen Klopp's side.
Liverpool keeper Alisson Becker did well to smother a shot from Dani Olmo in the 11th minute while at the other end Diogo Jota saw a header tipped over the bar by Leipzig keeper Peter Gulacsi.
Gulacsi, a former Liverpool player, then did well again to keep out a Salah shot after the Egyptian had been set free by a long ball forward from Thiago Alcantara.
The Germans continued to ask questions though with Emil Forsberg shooting wide from inside the box in the 33rd minute but Liverpool should have had the lead before the break.
Gulacsi parried another Jota effort and then on the stroke of halftime the Portuguese forward wasted a great chance when the ball fell to him at the back post, after poor defending from Dayot Upamecano, but he fired into the side netting.
Liverpool finally broke through in the 70th minute when Jota fed Salah, who cut across the top of the penalty area before drilling into the bottom corner.
Four minutes later, Mane made it 2-0 on the night when he met a Divock Origi cross from the right with a first-time finish, steering the ball home with the outside of his foot.
Liverpool visit Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Monday.
- Reuters
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