Jurgen Klopp remains optimistic heading into the knockout stages of the Champions League, despite Liverpool being drawn against Real Madrid in a repeat of last season's final.
Liverpool finished as runners-up to Napoli in their European group, allowing them to be paired with holders Madrid in the competition's last-16 draw on Monday.
Klopp's side have lost two Champions League finals to Madrid in the past five seasons, but the German is looking forward to two "special" meetings with Carlo Ancelotti's men.
"I know we have played Real Madrid in a couple of recent finals, but it is not so often that our two clubs have met in a two-legged tie, so now we can look forward to this happening," Klopp told Liverpool's website.
"Real's European record is the best around. We know this. But we also know that ours is not too bad. On top of this, we know that we have Anfield and everyone knows what this means.
"It is a really good draw, a really exciting draw. The games themselves are still a few months away, but it does not take a great deal of imagination to think what the atmosphere will be like at both games.
"There is a lot of football to be played before this, of course, so we will focus on each game as it comes. But yes, this draw has given us something special to look forward to."
Madrid have won all three of their Champions League meetings with Liverpool when facing them as European champions, and their former striker Emilio Butragueno believes Ancelotti's side will handle the pressure of being considered favourites.
"I think that for the world of football, it will be an exciting tie because of the history of the two clubs," Butragueno said after the draw.
"They are a very strong rival, who have had a lot of stability in recent years with the same coach and with the same group of players, and that makes it very dangerous.
"At the same time, we are the champions, and we will naturally do everything possible to qualify and return to the draw for the quarter-finals.
"We fully trust our players, they have shown us what they are capable of in moments of maximum pressure."
Saudi league can be one of the world's best, claims Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is confident the Saudi Pro League can become one of the world's best competitions in the years to come.
The Portugal captain joined Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr in the aftermath of the 2022 World Cup, with his second spell with Manchester United brought an abrupt end prior to the tournament in Qatar.
A free agent after the Selecao's quarter-final exit at the hands of Morocco, Ronaldo promptly moved to the Middle East and has quickly settled, scoring nine goals in eight Pro League appearances.
While widely considered a weaker league than those in Europe, Ronaldo believes those matches have prepared him for Portugal duty and expects the reputation of the Saudi top flight to improve in time.
"I feel really good," he said ahead of Portugal's Euro 2024 qualifier against Liechtenstein. "That's why I'm here. If I didn't think so, I wouldn't be.
"I'm in a very competitive league. They should look at the Saudi championship differently.
"Obviously, it's not like the Premier League, I'd be lying if I said it was, but it's competitive. I'm surprised by the strength. It has good teams, it is balanced, the Arab players are good, the foreigners give quality.
"Possibly it will be, in five to six years' time, if they continue this plan, the fourth or fifth most competitive league in the world."
Ronaldo's return to United had not ended well as he fell out with Erik ten Hag and fired shots at the club in a no-holds-barred interview while still contracted at Old Trafford.
"Sometimes you have to go through a few things to see who's on my side," he said on Wednesday. "At a difficult stage, you see who is on your side.
"I have no problem saying I've had a bad time in my career, but there's no time for regrets.
"Life goes on and, doing well or not, it was part of my growth. When we're at the top of the mountain, we often can't see what's down.
"Now I am more prepared and this learning was important, because I had never been through this as in the last few months. Now I'm a better man."
Kulusevski unperturbed by Conte comments and still happy to play under Tottenham coach
Dejan Kulusevski did not take offence to Antonio Conte's criticism of his Tottenham side and is still happy to play under the Spurs coach.
Conte labelled his players "selfish" after Tottenham drew 3-3 with Southampton, despite leading 3-1 with 15 minutes to go.
It came just two weeks after Tottenham, who are fourth in the Premier League, exited both the FA Cup and Champions League in the space of a week.
Conte is widely expected to be sacked, but Kulusevski, when asked if he was offended by the coach's comments, said: "No, because I know what I bring to the team every day.
"I know that I prepare myself to do as good as I can, and that's why I can always look myself in the mirror.
“Sometimes I know I don't play good enough, and I can take responsibility for that, but what he said is for him, that's his word.
“I respect him, and he helped me a lot during my career. So, he's still a very important man in our club and in my work.”
Spurs midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg suggested Conte needed to be "a little more precise" with his words, but Kulusevski believes the players can have few complaints after a poor run of form.
"He was very disappointed, as were us players, and we have to accept that," said the winger.
"We lost all the cups, we went out in Champions League also. So, I know that sometimes we have to be sad and angry, and that's how he took it.
"Somebody else will take another way; we just have to respect his words.”
As unlikely as it now seems, Kulusevski was then asked if he would still be happy to play under Conte and replied: "Yeah, absolutely.”
Ozil retires: Arsenal and Madrid assist machine's stellar career in numbers
Mesut Ozil's retirement brings to an end the career of one of modern football's great, traditional number 10s.
The former Arsenal and Real Madrid playmaker announced on social media that he was terminating his contract with Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir due to continuing injury issues.
Ex-Germany international Ozil won the World Cup in 2014 and also played for Schalke, Werder Bremen and Fenerbahce during his club career.
Having garnered a big move to Spanish giants Real Madrid in 2010 following his superb displays in that year's World Cup, Ozil won a LaLiga title, a Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de Espana.
A move to Arsenal in 2013 saw Ozil flourish into one of the Premier League's greatest creative forces, while he won the FA Cup four times during his stay in north London.
Stints at Fenerbahce and Basaksehir were hampered by injury with Ozil having played just four times this season, but the 34-year-old leaves behind an unforgettable legacy.
Stats Perform takes a look at some of the key numbers behind Ozil's memorable career.
Creator in chief
The 2015-16 campaign was arguably Ozil's finest in an Arsenal shirt, with his tally of 146 chances created in the Premier League the most of any player in a single season in the competition.
Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne has come closest to breaking that record when the Belgian crafted 136 goalscoring opportunities for team-mates in the 2019-20 campaign.
Ozil managed six league goals in the 2015-16 campaign but laid on a further 19. That was the only time he registered double figures for assists in a top-flight season while at Arsenal, something he managed in each of his three seasons in LaLiga.
Assist machine
Ozil is one of just four Arsenal players to have registered more than 50 Premier League assists for the club.
His total of 54 is bested by Denis Bergkamp (94), Thierry Henry (74) and Cesc Fabregas (70).
Ozil's prolific record as a creator began well before his move to north London.
His 122 assists across a ten-season stretch between 2008 and 2018 was only eclipsed by Lionel Messi (133).
Starting in 2008, Ozil recorded more than 12 assists for five consecutive seasons. At Werder Bremen, he set up 25 goals two seasons in the Bundesliga before joining Madrid.
His numbers would only improve in the Spanish capital as he created 47 goals between 2010 and 2013.
Eye for goal
While Ozil's creative talents caught the eye, he had a penchant for scoring goals as well as setting them up.
His 33 top-flight goals in an Arsenal shirt stands as the second-best tally of any German in the Premier League, behind City's Ilkay Gundogan (39). Uwe Rosler, Jurgen Klinsmann, and Leroy Sane make up the top five with 29, 29 and 25 respectively.
Ozil's best Premier League goalscoring season was the 2016-17 campaign when he netted eight times.
Galactico
It was at the 2010 World Cup where Ozil truly made his name, starring in a youthful Germany side that reached the semi-finals.
Ozil appeared at three World Cup finals, and is one of only five players to have created at least 10 chances from open play in three different World Cups (since 1966), along with Messi, Diego Maradona, Wolfgang Overath and former Germany team-mate Thomas Muller.
Madrid signed him after his leading role in South Africa and Ozil went on to make 159 appearances for Los Blancos. Only three German players have played more matches with the club – Toni Kroos (402), Uli Stielike (308) and Sami Khedira (161).
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