Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has conceded that Borussia Dortmund are the best team left in the Europa League this season, and he is looking forward to seeing his team taking up the challenge.
The Reds scored a 3-1 aggregate victory over Manchester United in the round of 16 to book a quarter-final date in the competition, but they have been drawn against the might of Dortmund.
Dortmund are currently flying in the Bundesliga, and are just five points behind Bayern Munich in the league table. They decimated Tottenham in the previous round and will now take on the Merseyside giants this Thursday in the first leg of their quarter-final tie at the Westfalenstadion.
It is also the first time Jurgen Klopp will be facing his former team after leaving the club at the end of last season, and Mignolet insisted that it is just not a special occasion for the German, but also for Liverpool as a club.
When asked about Klopp taking on his former team, the Belgian told Sporza: “It is not only a special game for him.
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“It’s a good game for both teams. Everyone knows there is a unique atmosphere at Dortmund. As a player and as a football fan, it’s is a game to look forward to.”
Mignolet revealed that they don’t need Klopp’s special knowledge about Dortmund to know the task Liverpool are up against, and admits that the German outfit are arguably the best team left in this season’s Europa League.
“It is not just because Klopp is our coach, we know more about them. We know it will be a difficult game. In the remaining teams in the competition, Dortmund are perhaps the strongest team left in it.
“Yet it is not a disadvantage for us; we have two games to beat them.”
