Jurgen Klopp hailed Unai Emery as a "world-class coach" and vowed Liverpool will not underestimate Champions League semi-final opponents Villarreal.
The Reds are still in contention for an unprecedented quadruple and enter Wednesday's first leg with Villarreal at Anfield as strong favourites to advance to next month's final.
However, the Spanish club stunned Juventus in the last 16 and followed that up by eliminating a much-fancied Bayern Munich side in the quarter-finals.
Villarreal's domestic form has improved of late, meanwhile, having won back-to-back LaLiga games – against Getafe and Valencia – to move into seventh place.
Liverpool have progressed from nine of their previous 11 European Cup and Champions League semi-finals, but Klopp is taking nothing for granted against Emery's Villarreal.
"We are here because we got the results we needed," Klopp said at Tuesday's pre-match news conference.
"It's special to be part of the semi-final. It's a massive game. So many coaches and players work their socks off to be close to a semi-final, so we have to cherish it but enjoy it.
"We face a difficult opponent. They are made for this competition. The way they set up is really good.
"They may have had a little advantage where Juve and Bayern maybe underestimated them. That never happens with us, no chance of that. That advantage may have gone.
"They are a good football team that wants to make history. It would be the first time they would make the final, which is massive for them. But for us, it's the same importance."
Emery guided Sevilla to a 3-1 Europa League final win over Klopp's Liverpool in 2016 – one of 11 trophies he has won across an 18-year coaching career.
He took charge of Villarreal in July 2020 following a disappointing stint at Arsenal and guided the Yellow Submarine to Europa League glory last season.
"I have a lot of respect for Unai and Villarreal," Klopp added. "I've analysed them properly, and wow. Impressive.
"Unai is a detailed-obsessed manager who prepared for all different situations in a game. That's what his team executes. Different ways to press and react on different results.
"It's really, really impressive. Unai is a world-class coach and doing an incredible job there. The good thing about the analysis is we're not involved in those games.
"We must make life as difficult for them as possible. That's what we try to do over these two legs."
Liverpool beat Villarreal 3-1 on aggregate in their only previous European encounter, in the 2015-16 Europa League semi-final, with both teams winning their home leg.
Villarreal have not won any of their last eight away games on English soil, a run that includes a 2-1 Champions League group-stage defeat to Manchester United in September.
And Klopp will be looking to take a victory to Estadio de la Ceramica for next week's reverse fixture as Liverpool aim to make it a clean sweep of trophies this season.
"We have two halves to play. We know when we to go Villarreal, it will be an emotional atmosphere," Klopp said. "There are moments where we will suffer tomorrow.
"I know that already and that's what we have to be ready for. There's no need to be nervous, that's how it is. This advantage at home we have to use.
"Whichever result we will get, we will fight with it. It means everything to us to reach the Champions League final."
Bayer Leverkusen 2-3 Leipzig: Visitors fightback halts unbeaten streak for Alonso's side
Bayer Leverkusen suffered their first defeat in 36 Bundesliga matches, as Leipzig came from behind to stun Xabi Alonso's side 3-2 at BayArena.
Lois Openda struck twice for Marco Rose's, who recovered from 2-0 down to make it two wins from two and move to the summit of the table.
It looked like business as usual for the reigning Bundesliga champions when they scored twice in the last seven minutes of the first half through Jeremie Frimpong and Alejandro Grimaldo.
However, Leipzig replied deep into first-half stoppage time with Kevin Kampl reducing the deficit.
Openda then brought the visitors level in the 57th minute, before a stunning long-range strike completed the turnaround 10 minutes from time, condemning Leverkusen to their first league defeat in 15 months.
Data Debrief: Leverkusen's long streak comes to a shuddering halt
Leipzig became the first side to beat Leverkusen in a Bundesliga match since Bochum achieved the feat a staggering 462 days earlier.
The visitors have begun a Bundesliga season with two wins from two for only the second time, also doing so in 2019-20.
They are also now unbeaten in 13 league matches, their longest such streak since Rose took charge.
As for Leverkusen, their invincible streak is officially history, as is their 29-game unbeaten run on home soil.
'We really let ourselves down' - Coleman slams Everton after late Bournemouth collapse
Seamus Coleman acknowledged Everton "really let ourselves down" and must "look at ourselves in the mirror" following their spectacular late collapse against Bournemouth.
Sean Dyche's side, who were seeking their first points of the season, led 2-0 in the 87th minute at Goodison Park through goals from Michael Keane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
However, the hosts were undone by three crosses in the latter stages, with Antoine Semenyo pulling a goal back and Lewis Cook levelling, before Luis Sinisterra completed a sensational turnaround in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
Boos rung around Goodison Park as the Toffees remained pointless and rooted to the foot of the Premier League table, and Coleman echoed the supporters' frustrations.
"We really let ourselves down in front of our fans," the skipper said. "We cannot take our foot off the gas at this level. Unfortunately, we did that.
"We cannot be conceding the goals that we did. We have to look at ourselves in the mirror."
Meanwhile, Dyche bemoaned the lack of responsibility amongst his players, as they became the first side in Premier League history to lose a game after leading by two or more goals in the 87th minute.
"We did so much right until they scored their first goal," the Everton head coach said. "The game should have been out of sight. We conceded one and then threw it away. I can't put my finger on it right now.
"They kept raining it forward and got their reward in the end. They were playing it forward and crossing it into the box, and we didn't deal with it. Simple stuff, but we threw it away. It is the third game we have thrown away this season.
"Everyone was looking at someone else to deal with things and that is when there is trouble. You could see the body language change. You have to see games through, and we have enough experience to do that, but today we didn't."
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola added: "It was the worst game we played this season. Everton deserved to win today, but the players kept pushing.
"I always have hope because this team has spirit. We have done it before and had some good comebacks. The spark of the first goal made us believe we could do it again."
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Wolves: Bellegarde beauty earns visitors first point
Wolves earned their first point of the Premier League season following a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest.
Chris Wood's towering header was cancelled out by Jean-Ricner Bellegarde's stunning strike as the spoils were shared at the City Ground.
The hosts took the lead in the 10th minute as Wood rose to nod home from Elliot Anderson's corner.
However, the visitors were level just two minutes later in spectacular fashion, with Bellegarde firing a stunning long-range volley into the roof of the net.
Gary O'Neil's side had Sam Johnstone to thank after the break, with the debutant producing a strong hand to deny Wood his second goal of the game.
Matheus Cunha curled a shot just wide while the offside flag denied Wood later on, with Forest unable to snatch victory but extending their unbeaten start to the campaign.
Data Debrief: Wolves end losing streak while Wood matches Collymore
After opening the season with two defeats and eight goals conceded, Wolves stopped the rot with a welcome point against their Midlands rivals, while ending a five-game Premier League losing streak in the process.
Meanwhile, Forest remain unbeaten in their opening three games of a top-flight season for the first time since 1995-96.
Heading his side into the lead, Wood became only the second Forest player to score in both their first two home matches in a Premier League season since Stan Collymore 30 years previously.
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