Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has insisted that he has nothing to prove to Borussia Dortmund tonight.
Klopp, who guided the German side to successive Bundesliga titles during his spell at the club, makes his highly-anticipated return to Signal Iduna Park, the scene of some of his greatest managerial achievements, in this evening’s Europa League quarter-final.
And the Reds boss insists that his sole focus is on securing a positive first-leg result for his new team.
He said: “I have nothing to prove to Dortmund – that is absolutely not my intention.
“I am fine with the draw, with the game, with everything – but I am not too happy with the stories around me personally. I don’t need it but I can’t avoid it.
“We are ready and as good as we can be at this moment. Since Sunday I’ve seen five games of Dortmund. Each 90 minutes. And obviously they are full of confidence and playing really good, but as always in football it is up to the opponent how good you really are.
“We hope and we think we can be a real challenge – not the favourite, that’s not important – but they have a team that has been together for two years which only had a bad experience at the first half of last season which made them stronger, it’s obvious.
“They have a good manager but I don’t think I should go there thinking I have to win 5-0 so everyone can say: ‘Oh look what he can do.’ I’m really fine with the situation.
“Let’s go there, play well, see what we can do, fly home, and then invite them to Anfield.”