Jurgen Klopp has warned Liverpool not to fall in Atletico Madrid’s traps on Wednesday.
The European champions will need to overturn a 1-0 deficit when they face Diego Simeone’s side in the return leg of their Champions League last 16 tie.
Klopp withdrew Sadio Mane at half time of the first leg at the Wanda Metropolitano after the striker became a target for Atleti’s gamesmanship.
And the Reds manager is urging his players not to allow themselves to be sucked in by a similar tactic from the visitors in the Anfield encounter.
He said: “You always need a referee who is aware of situations like this, we cannot do it by ourselves.
“Sadio did nothing wrong, absolutely nothing, and I still thought in the next situation it will be like this [a second yellow card].
“But if it was always that easy for you to get out the best player of the opponent then there is something wrong with the game.
“If the player does nothing wrong but it’s still possible. Everyone runs against his elbow or whatever – that should not happen.
“We expect a really ‘experienced’ performance from Atletico, let me say that. In all different departments experienced, but we have to deal with that.”