Jurgen Klopp is confident Trent Alexander-Arnold will be fit for Liverpool's potentially pivotal trip to Manchester City next weekend.
Reds right-back Alexander-Arnold sustained a hamstring injury last month that ruled him out of the FA Cup win at Nottingham Forest and England's two international friendlies.
Reports earlier this week claimed Alexander-Arnold was back in full training on Wednesday, suggesting he was likely to feature against Watford on Saturday.
Klopp dismissed those claims when addressing the media on Friday, claiming the 23-year-old only fully re-joined the rest of the squad earlier that day, only committing to it being "possible" that he plays on Saturday.
But any worries about the influential full-back missing the trip to City next Sunday – in what is being billed as a potential Premier League title decider – have seemingly been put to bed.
He told reporters: "Trent trained yesterday [Thursday] in parts and is in full training today.
"We will see what we do with that. Trent wanted to play for England, just to make sure everyone knows that, but he couldn't.
"The scans showed he could not go anywhere but sometimes injuries are not that serious and you are not out for five or six weeks, it's two weeks for Trent. It's tight for tomorrow, but possible.
"It depends what he does in team training. He was with the rehab and fitness department before, it was really intense what he did before with us, he should be fine. I'll make the decision."
Asked if will be ready for the midweek trip to Benfica in the Champions League, Klopp added: "I think so."
As such, Liverpool should be able to count on his services away to City in what is surely the Reds' biggest game of the season.
That will be a major boost given Alexander-Arnold's significant influence as a creative hub for Liverpool, even from right-back.
Only Alisson and Virgil van Dijk (both 2,430) have played more Premier League minutes for Liverpool than Alexander-Arnold (2,313) this term, while he leads the way for total chances created (77) in the squad.
Only Mohamed Salah (51) can better his 42 chances created in open play, though Alexander-Arnold's 11 assists is a Liverpool high.
In fact, his 10.9 expected assists (xA) shows that his goal creation comes from incredible creative reliability, rather than him benefiting from especially exceptional finishing – no one else in the Liverpool group has more than 5.6 xA this season.
Pep Guardiola has indicated Manchester City will have to cope without Ruben Dias for crucial games against Atletico Madrid and Liverpool.
Centre-back Dias has been sidelined since suffering a hamstring injury in the FA Cup win at Peterborough United on March 1, and it was revealed he faced four to six weeks on the sidelines.
It appears the Portuguese defender will be available again closer to the six-week mark than Guardiola might have hoped, with City facing Atletico in the Champions League either side of a Premier League clash with title rivals Liverpool.
First comes a trip to Burnley on Saturday, with Dias a confirmed non-starter for that game.
"I don't know," Guardiola said, when asked how much longer Dias faced on the sidelines.
"The doctor said four to six weeks. I think we need 10 more days, two weeks more. Everything is going well."
The first leg of the Atletico quarter-final is coming up at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, with Liverpool visiting on Sunday, April 10, three days before Guardiola's men are back in European action in Madrid.
The timeframe suggests Dias may struggle to play any part in those three games, which are followed by an FA Cup semi-final, also against Liverpool, on April 16 at Wembley.
Although Dias has been an integral figure in Guardiola's first-team plans, his absence from four Premier League games this season has not had a majorly adverse impact to date.
Without him, City have won three times and drawn once in four games (average points: 2.5), while with Dias in the side they have won 19, drawn three and lost three (average points: 2.4) – though the sample sizes are significantly different.
City would have good cause to be cautiously optimistic of taking three points at Burnley without Dias involved, however.
After taking five points from their first 12 available against City in the Premier League (W1 D2 L1), Burnley have managed just one point from the subsequent 11 games between the teams (D1 L10).
Indeed, City have won their last nine meetings with Burnley in all competitions by a 32-1 aggregate score.
Patrik Berger is delighted to see Liverpool in quadruple contention as the former Anfield hero reminded Jurgen Klopp's side there is an expectation on them to lift trophies.
Liverpool overcame Chelsea in a marathon penalty shoot-out to win the EFL Cup in late February, and they remain hot on the heels of Premier League leaders Manchester City.
Klopp's men sit just a point behind Pep Guardiola's defending champions, who they face on league duty at the Etihad Stadium on April 10, and again at Wembley six days later in an FA Cup semi-final.
The Reds also have to contend with a two-leg Champions League quarter-final against Benfica, either side of their first clash with City, while they return to action after the international break at home to Watford on Saturday.
Berger played for Liverpool from 1996 to 2003, lifting the UEFA Cup and FA Cup in the 2000-01 season under Gerard Houllier.
"As a player, you want to win everything and if you are at Liverpool the football club is about that, it's about winning trophies," Berger told Stats Perform.
"They have already won one, and they are still in the race for the other three. It's a great time for them, for the players, for the manager, for the supporters and for the football club.
"At the end of the season you want to compete for every single trophy you can, and they are in that position right now, and I'm sure they're all happy and ready to compete for every single one of them."
Former Reds captain Sami Hyypia urged Liverpool to not get ahead of themselves and take one game at a time heading into the decisive part of the season.
Asked about the Reds' schedule and quadruple hopes, Hyypia told Stats Perform: "It's still interesting, but you can't look too far ahead, you have to look for the next game and win the next game, that is it."
The 2005 Champions League winner added: "It's nice to talk about it now, but we will see, we will see what is going to happen."
Lionel Messi must accept criticism at Paris Saint-Germain after supporters turned on the Argentine great, according to Michel Platini.
Platini, who has told Kylian Mbappe to follow his dreams when his contract expires at the end of the season, believes PSG have built "a great club" under their Qatari ownership.
But he questioned whether the acquisition of a string of superstar names is the best way to construct a successful team, and sympathised with Messi, who has endured a tough first campaign in Paris.
A Ligue 1 title is practically assured, but defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League last-16 stage, from a 2-0 aggregate advantage, has stung PSG, while also delighting the club's critics.
There are critics within the ranks of the club's supporters, too, with Messi and Neymar among the players who faced loud whistling from fans at the first league game following the exit from Europe.
Former France superstar Platini knows Messi will have been affected by the whistles.
"He also understands them, but it hurts," Platini told RMC Sports. "I, too, was whistled at the Parc des Princes. But I was never whistled either at Saint-Etienne or at Juventus."
Although Platini never played for PSG, the club's home ground staged France internationals during his time as a player and coach of the national team.
"One has the right to whistle. The customer is king," Platini added. "I wouldn't do it. Everyone has the right to whistle, to insult. The football field is an outlet. Leo came to please Paris. Maybe there were other teams that wanted him. It's very hard."
Asked whether Messi made a mistake by joining PSG when Barcelona could not afford to retain him, Platini said: "He does what he wants. It is true that he is the child of Barcelona as Ronaldo was the child of Madrid. They decided to leave.
"I can put myself in their place. When I left Juve, I stopped. I was 32 years old. Barcelona and OM [Marseille] wanted me. It's complicated for a player like Leo, when you reach 34, you know you're worth a lot. But are you going to play as well as in the past?
"Lionel chose to have a new challenge. It is good for French football that he came to play in France. But he will never play as well as he did five, six years ago."
With nine rounds of games remaining, PSG lead second-placed Marseille by 12 points in Ligue 1, so silverware is coming, but the PSG of next season could be strikingly different to the current side.
Mbappe may see out his contract and leave for Real Madrid, Messi's future is beginning to look uncertain, and many would be surprised if head coach Mauricio Pochettino stays in charge.
Messi has just two Ligue 1 goals this season and seven strikes across all competitions, and Barcelona have not closed the door on the possibility of a Camp Nou comeback for their greatest ever player.
"It's hard to do better than what they did," Platini said. "They have a Messi-Neymar-Mbappe forward line. If by putting three of the best players in the world, you don't win, what should you do? Maybe have more in-depth thinking about how to play rather than taking names."
PSG continue to await Mbappe's next move. They hope he will agree to a new contract and stay, but Madrid have made their interest perfectly clear, and a fresh start at the Santiago Bernabeu holds obvious appeal.
Since arriving from Monaco as an 18-year-old in August 2017, Mbappe has scored 158 goals for PSG and added 70 assists, with his goals coming at a rate of over every 104.22 minutes. Only Robert Lewandowski (223), Messi (169) and Ronaldo (162) have scored more over the same period.
Mbappe has hit seven hat-tricks and 31 doubles, and is by far and away the leader when it comes to goals from fast breaks, netting 32 in such a manner, 15 ahead of the nearest challenger, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah.
"He must do what he dreams of, what he wants to do," Platini said.
"We have experienced 15 extraordinary years with two exceptional players who have won everything, Ronaldo and Messi. He is in pole position for the future. The future is in front of him, he can win everything. He is the player who should be the future big star for years to come.
"He is the best French player currently. He has everything to be the best, to be [winner of the] Ballon d'Or several times."
Julian Weigl was taken aback by his recall to the Germany squad after a five-year absence, having previously been considered a potential future superstar.
Weigl rose to prominence at Borussia Dortmund, earning his first senior Germany cap 14 months after moving to BVB from 1860 Munich in 2015 as a 19-year-old.
His form during his first couple of seasons in the Bundesliga drew links with some of Europe's biggest clubs, with Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Manchester City apparently particularly keen on the talented deep-lying playmaker.
But he struggled to maintain that level after Thomas Tuchel's exit and was frustrated by untimely injuries, ultimately falling out of favour and being sold to Benfica for a reported €20million in January 2020.
The move was indicative of the decline in Weigl's reputation and he was being linked with another move less than a year after joining Benfica due to early struggles with Jorge Jesus.
But this season he has become a key figure and played in seven of Benfica's eight matches en route to the Champions League quarter-finals, helping him back into the Germany setup.
"When the coach called me, I was with my team-mate Soualiho Meite. I couldn't believe that Hansi [Flick] had called me and that I'd missed it," he told reporters.
"I knew I had to call him back. I was absolutely thrilled, we chatted for a short while and then I immediately rang my parents and my wife. They were some emotional phone calls. My family and my wife were also over the moon.
"I was extremely pleased when I got the call from Hansi. I wasn't expecting it. When you're putting in good performances for your club, you do get your hopes up a little bit, but it still came as a surprise.
"I was looking forward to seeing the lads again, and so I arrive here with a really positive energy. I've always looked out for when the national squad gets announced, and I'm more than aware that you have to be performing at the top level at your club week-in, week-out to earn your selection.
"But I never once said to myself at any time that my performances deserved to be rewarded with a call-up – I simply tried to keep concentration on myself and my game. Because of that, the eventual call-up was even more of a pleasant surprise."
Despite the promise he showed early on at Dortmund, Weigl only ever featured five times for Germany.
His most recent outing was 66 minutes in a friendly with England way back in March 2017 – now 26, Weigl does not think his playing style has changed significantly, but leaving Germany helped him grow and he feels better physically.
"Generally speaking, I'm still the same player," he continued. "What's changed is that I've become more mature and more experienced – playing abroad has certainly helped me in this regard, as well as becoming a father.
"My daughter helps me to relax, as my life is so fast-paced. I've improved from a physical perspective, too."
Weigl's recall comes at a potentially critical moment as well. With the World Cup starting in less than eight months, the midfielder surely has a genuine opportunity of being in the selection that travels to Qatar.
He is now focused on proving to Flick that he is worthy of consideration.
"I'm trying to show off what I can do every day that I'm here, as well as take on board the ideas of the head coach and work them into my game," he said.
"I'm asking for the ball a lot in the sessions and I'm not afraid to do so, because that's how I'm going to prove to the head coach that I'm a serious option for the World Cup squad, because I can be relied upon at any time and that I can put in a solid performance when needed."
Germany, who have already qualified for the World Cup, will face Israel and the Netherlands in friendlies during this international window.
Paul Pogba has opened up on suffering from bouts of depression during his playing career.
The World Cup winner became the most expensive footballer on the planet for a period when Manchester United re-signed him from Juventus back in August 2016.
Pogba has bore the brunt of criticism at time for the Red Devils' inconsistent performances, with the 29-year-old having not won a major honour with United since collecting winners' medals in the EFL Cup and Europa League in 2017.
Speaking to La Figaro while on international duty with France, Pogba revealed he has had to contend with personal issues away from the pitch.
"I've had depression in my career, but we don't talk about it," he said.
"Sometimes you don't know you are, you just want to isolate yourself, be alone. These are unmistakable signs."
Pogba went on to say he noticed his struggles beginning during Jose Mourinho's time as manager at United.
The two endured a reportedly rocky relationship when the Portuguese was in charge at Old Trafford, with Pogba losing the vice-captaincy in September 2018.
"Personally, it started when I was with Jose Mourinho at United," Pogba added.
"You ask yourself questions, you wonder if you are at fault because you have never experienced these moments in your life."
Pogba added the personal riches and acclaim that come from being a professional footballer does not stop players from going through difficult times.
He said: "All top athletes go through these moments but few talk about it. Inevitably, you will feel it [depression] in your body, in your head, and you may have a month, even a year, where you are not well. But you don't have to say it. In any case publicly.
"We earn a lot of money and we don't complain really, but that doesn't prevent us from going through moments that are more difficult than others, like everyone else in life.
"Because you make money, you always have to be happy? It's not like that, life. But, in football, it does not pass, we are however not superheroes, but only human beings."
Massimiliano Allegri called for Juventus to forget about their Champions League exit, insisting fourth place in Serie A would not define their season as a failure.
Juventus are one of two teams – Sevilla are the others – from the top five European leagues to remain unbeaten in their main domestic competition since the start of December, with no side picking up more points in the Italian top flight during that period (32).
That undefeated streak has guided the Bianconeri to fourth in the league, seven clear of fifth-placed Lazio and just seven behind leaders Milan coming into this weekend's games.
Head coach Allegri's side are also still in contention for the Coppa Italia, leading 1-0 before the return leg of their semi-final on April 21 with Fiorentina.
However, Juve crashed out of the Champions League as they were 4-1 aggregate losers to Villarreal in their last-16 clash in midweek, but Allegri insists that does not take anything away from their campaign so far.
Speaking at Saturday's news conference ahead of a clash with Salernitana, Allegri said: "Salernitana are different to the first meeting, they've done well and are playing better.
"We must immediately erase the Champions League exit and finish this period in the best possible way to try to stay three points behind Inter."
Pressed on whether Juve's 2021-22 season was a failure after elimination in Europe, he said: "I have nothing to clarify. Together with the club we're on a path, and we've laid a good foundation.
"I think we're on the right track. It doesn't take much to destroy things, so you have to be very careful. We went from a very dangerous situation in January when we were 10 points behind Atalanta, and we were good and lucky there, something that didn't happen against Villarreal.
"On Tuesday we weren't the team that could win the Champions League, on Thursday it's all over again, it's failure.
"[Reporters] have to write these things, we have to keep a clear head. It's not that Tuesday is one thing and Thursday is another.
"Of course, no one expected a 3-0 defeat [in the second leg to Villarreal], but that's football. Like what happened in Madrid with PSG. The positive thing is that after the international break we'll have all the players available, except for [Federico] Chiesa and [Weston] McKennie."
Juve will again qualify for next season's Champions League if they can finish in Italy's top four, and Allegri assured that he is committed to a long-term project at the Allianz Stadium.
"To me, those who judge know little," he added. "Together with the club I have to look at the construction of a four-year project. We've shortened the time frame a little thanks to the January transfer market, and now we'll evaluate how to improve further.
"If for you fourth place is a failure, you are right to write it down. There's an old saying in football: whoever wins is a good guy, whoever loses… You don't have to smash the atom, you have to win games based on an assessment of what you have available.
"The club and I know very well what to do, we have clear ideas and the same thoughts. But this doesn't matter now, I have these players and I'm proud of them. We have 10 games in which to do our best and then see where we are.
"But I'm not changing my evaluations, maybe we can do better one year and worse the next. Now we have to put everything aside and think about these games.
"Let's try to beat Salernitana, which isn't easy. Above all, to have the ambition of being three points behind Inter when we play them [at home on April 3]."
Pep Guardiola insisted he would not swap any of his Manchester City players as they chase treble glory – batting away speculation about Erling Haaland.
City could match Manchester United's 1998-99 feat of winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in one season, and Guardiola is no longer ridiculing that possibility.
They are a nose ahead of Liverpool in the Premier League and through to the quarter-finals of both knockout competitions, achieving such success largely without a recognised 'number nine' striker.
Haaland is the player most frequently linked with City, although Real Madrid and Barcelona are known to admire Borussia Dortmund's prolific marksman too. A decision could reportedly come soon regarding Haaland's future.
"Since I'm here, apparently every month, two months, we're going to sign 50 players," Guardiola said, when asked about the 21-year-old Norwegian. "Right now, listen, it's impossible I'm going to talk about some guy who's not here, and I don't know if he will be here. He's a Dortmund player.
"You can ask for this player or another one or another one. A transfer window is going to start, and many things are going to happen."
Southampton provide the opposition on Sunday in the FA Cup, with Guardiola taking issue with a reporter who questioned whether it might be challenging to motivate his City players for the trip to St Mary's.
Given City's other targets and Liverpool's rapid gain on them in the title race, some might consider the FA Cup a distraction, but not Guardiola.
"How do you ask me this, when we show in the last six years that we play every game in every competition like it was the last game in our lives?" Guardiola said.
"I know it looks like everything is gone, it is over, no chance of anything, but the manager still trusts a lot in his players to try to win every competition, being who we are.
"I want to do it with these guys. I would not change one single player to do these next two months we have ahead of us. Success? I don't know."
Since Guardiola joined City ahead of the 2016-17 campaign, Southampton have won just one of the 13 clashes between the sides (D3 L9), a 1-0 victory in July 2020 on home soil. City have drawn home and away in the Premier League with Southampton this season, however.
Guardiola was asked about how City have achieved spectacular success during his reign, while neighbours Manchester United have fallen short of delivering trophies.
United's last major silverware came in the 2016-17 season when they won the EFL Cup and Europa League, and despite high investment in players since then, they have been unable to keep pace with City.
"I would love to give an opinion about that, not to help them, because I'm sorry, but I don't have an opinion because I'm not there," Guardiola said. "I don't know the reason why. I think the team they have is fantastic. We cannot deny how good they are. But the reason why, I would say because the contenders are good too."
Guardiola said City were enjoying success due to the financial backing they have, and the support he and his staff receive from club hierarchy, comparing this to United in the Alex Ferguson era and Chelsea during early years of Roman Abramovich's ownership.
When it comes to others falling short, Guardiola said: "The difference in this club is there is strategy for many years. We lose, but this is the way."
City are losing only very rarely these days, which means the treble dream lives on. They won the domestic treble in 2018-19, but now the three trophies they are chasing include the old European Cup.
"I would say in September, October, November, it's more difficult," Guardiola said. "But we have two months left and still you can be there to win the titles, it can be possible. On the other side, it happened once in the lifetime."
David de Gea acknowledged that Manchester United are "far away" from where they want to be but vowed to fight back after their Champions League exit.
United crashed out at the last-16 stage of the Champions League after a 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid at Old Trafford on Tuesday condemned Ralf Rangnick's side to a 2-1 loss on aggregate.
That leaves United out of contention for silverware this season, last lifting a trophy in 2017 when they won the Europa League, with Rangnick's remaining goal being to secure a top-four finish.
The race for a spot in England's top four looks set to go to the wire. Arsenal, who occupy fourth and have played two games fewer than United, could be four points clear of the Red Devils by the time they are next in action at home to Leicester City on April 2.
De Gea called on his side to battle until the end of the season, knowing Champions League qualification is perhaps the only consolation that can salvage another disappointing campaign.
"It's taken me a few days to be able to talk about my intense disappointment from our Champions League exit," the goalkeeper, who was omitted from the Spain squad on Friday, wrote on Twitter.
"We didn't do enough over the two games but this is on us. We must use this as energy to improve ourselves, to learn, to achieve and challenge again. That is all we can do in this tough moment.
"I have said many times that we are far away from where we want to be, but we as players will go again for the remaining Premier League games."
While United - who parted ways with club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in late November - have underperformed this season, matters could have been made significantly worse without De Gea.
Only relegation battlers Leeds United (179), Norwich City (170) and Brentford (146) have faced more shots on target in the Premier League than United (143).
That has forced De Gea to make 105 saves, with Leeds' Illan Meslier (111) the only goalkeeper in the league to make more stops.
The excellence of De Gea stands out when compared to other goalkeepers in terms of the differential between expected goals on target conceded and the number of times they have been beaten.
Expected goals (xG) on target conceded, a way of measuring not just the quality of a chance but the quality of the attempt itself, when subtracted from goals against displays a goalkeeper's shot-stopping prowess.
De Gea has prevented 3.83 by that way of comparison, ranking only behind Wolves' Jose Sa (8.62) in the Premier League.
Jurgen Klopp has said the one thing he wanted Liverpool to avoid in Friday's Champions League draw was a tie against another Premier League team.
The Reds' manager will have been relieved to see them drawn against Portuguese side Benfica for the quarter-finals of Europe's premier competition.
Fellow English representatives, Chelsea and Manchester City, were drawn against Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid respectively, while Villarreal will play Bayern Munich.
Should Liverpool get past Benfica, they will face the winner of that latter tie in the semi-finals.
Speaking to the club's official website, Klopp said it would be a "mistake" to underestimate Benfica, but did say he hoped to avoid more familiar opposition.
"The only thing I didn’t want to have – I would have taken everybody – but the only thing I didn't want was an English team," he said. "We had that in the past and we went through [2018 v Man City], we played a final against an English team [2019 v Tottenham], it’s absolutely fine, in the final anyway, you take whoever you get.
"But actually I was just happy it's not an English club, not only because of the quality but because of the competition as well, we play them often enough during a season and it's good if you play somebody else in the European competitions."
Klopp added that he is "really looking forward" to the tie, with Benfica the only possible opponent in the draw he is yet to face as Liverpool manager. The Lisbon club knocked out Ajax in the round of 16 after a Darwin Nunez goal in Amsterdam sealed a 3-2 aggregate win.
"Really looking forward to it," Klopp added. "It's a quarter-final so a tough one. Benfica did obviously really well against Ajax and that's the situation. I know people will say we are the favourites and stuff like this, but that's already the first mistake you could make. We are too long in the business now to make these kinds of mistakes.
"I'm just really looking forward to it. I respect a lot what they are doing there, it's a massive club. I don't think I ever played there, to be 100 per cent honest. Lisbon, a great city.
"On top of that – I spent my last week off on holiday [before taking the Liverpool job], I got the call from [club director] Mike Gordon in Lisbon. So that's a nice memory as well. I was sitting in an outside coffee bar, I got the call and we made the decision actually in Lisbon."
Pep Guardiola knows he must not allow Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid to smother Manchester City when the teams clash in the Champions League quarter-finals.
The City manager was impressed by how Atletico accounted for Manchester United in the previous round, preventing the Red Devils imposing their game on the second leg at Old Trafford.
A 1-0 win for Atletico carried Simeone's team through to the last eight as 2-1 aggregate winners, and now Guardiola and Simeone – arguably the two best coaches in world football – will go head to head on the touchline.
Guardiola believes Simeone has a job for as long as he wants it at Atletico, pointing to that security and board support as being telling in the success the club have had, notably in winning last season's LaLiga title.
He also acknowledges that Atletico are so expert in the tenacious style they play, that even a team of City's level can be majorly tested.
"They are what they are, and they're able to avoid who you are. This is the biggest quality of Atletico Madrid," Guardiola said. "You try to impose your game but sometimes it is so difficult."
Simeone is regarded as a master of stifling opposition teams, and drawing from his own players an unmatched work rate.
"But if he likes to not concede goals, I like it more than him," Guardiola said. "If I want to win games, I like it more than him. I like the counter-attacks the same like him."
The City boss added: "I saw the first 15, 20, 25 minutes against Man United and United could not breathe, [Atletico] made intensive high pressing."
The quarter-final will be the first ever meeting between City and Atletico in European competition, while Guardiola was eliminated in his last meeting with the Rojiblancos in the knockout stages of this competition, when his Bayern Munich side were beaten in the 2015-16 semi-finals.
City will be at home first leg on April 5, and travel to Madrid for the April 13 second game.
What Guardiola is certain about is that Simeone's bosses have his back, which the City boss believes has underpinned the team's success.
"When this happens, you have an incredible achievement as a club and institution," Guardiola said.
"The most important thing that happens in that club is that Simeone will not be sacked, and all the players know he is the manager and he will be the manager.
"All the players know the hierarchy support the manager unconditionally for the fact of the results they had in the past."
Atletico have been unable to match last season's domestic performance this time around, with Real Madrid the runaway leaders in LaLiga, but Guardiola admires how there has been no sense of panic, or rush to do anything radically different.
"We're going to try, knowing it will be difficult in both our games against them," the City boss said. "You have to be clever. They wait for the right moment. Every game they have chances to score a goal.
"We're going to a nice stadium with incredible supporters, and we're going there to reach the semi-final. Hopefully they're worried to play against us."
Thomas Tuchel sees no reason to leave Chelsea for Manchester United despite the continued uncertainty at Stamford Bridge.
Sanctions imposed on Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich – a Russian businessman who is claimed to have links to Vladimir Putin – in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine have impacted the club's day-to-day operations.
As they wait on a sale, the Blues cannot engage in contract negotiations or sell tickets or merchandise, while their spending in key areas such as travel is capped.
Meanwhile, United – one of the richest clubs in world football – are looking for a new manager for next season, prompting talk Tuchel could be targeted.
But the Chelsea coach, who confirmed his side would be able to fly to Middlesbrough for Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final, dismissed the suggestion.
Asked for his reaction to the reports, Tuchel said: "There's no reaction at all.
"Do you feel me [being] less committed to the club? Less involved in the club in my situation? I think absolutely not.
"I have said many times that I love to be here and I love to work for Chelsea, and this club has everything that it needs to make me happy. That's why there is no need.
"We have plenty of reasons to stay in the moment here, and that is what we're doing."
A move to Old Trafford would ensure Tuchel's ability to spend in the coming transfer window, which remains uncertain as long as he stays at Chelsea.
But the Champions League-winning coach is confident the London club will be able to stay competitive.
"Maybe players will decide something they would not have decided if the situation had been different. Okay, maybe," he said.
"But there are so many 'ifs' in this; if it comes to this, we will find a solution.
"I still believe Chelsea will stay strong, Chelsea will hopefully stay football first, will hopefully stay a team-first club. I have trust and I believe in our ability to adapt.
"We will find solutions once the situation has cleared, once we are hopefully able to act again."
Although Tuchel was previewing the Boro game – for which Reece James is a doubt, putting his England availability into question with Trent Alexander-Arnold already out – he was speaking moments after Chelsea were drawn against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals.
A clash with Atletico Madrid's tie with Manchester City could prevent Chelsea playing away at the Santiago Bernabeu in the second leg, as was initially indicated, but no change had been made as Tuchel reflected on the draw.
"It's a tough one," he said. "The challenge cannot be much higher than playing the second leg in the Bernabeu with spectators.
"It's a big challenge, but there is also big excitement around this match, around this fixture. We know what's coming. It will be an exciting match and a tough challenge."
Real Madrid will face holders Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-finals, while Manchester City tackle Atletico Madrid.
The clash of 13-time winners Madrid and two-time champions Chelsea will be a repeat of last season's semi-final, which the English side won 3-1 on aggregate, and will mean Los Blancos boss Carlo Ancelotti goes up against his former team.
Madrid's Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois could also face their old club, who are in a state of crisis after owner Roman Abramovich was hit with UK government sanctions.
The winners of that standout tie will progress to a semi-final against City or Atletico, who meet in a tantalising clash that will see coaches Pep Guardiola and Diego Simeone at the heart of the narrative.
Atletico beat Manchester United at the last-16 stage and will return to the north-west of England in pursuit of another major scalp.
Villarreal, who sprung a surprise by knocking out Juventus, have been rewarded with a clash against Bayern Munich, who were 8-2 aggregate winners over Salzburg.
Benfica will face Jurgen Klopp's in-form Liverpool. The Reds are six-time European champions but lost to the Portuguese giants at the last-16 stage in the 2005-06 season, their last meeting in the Champions League.
The two-leg quarter-final ties will be played April 5-6 and April 12-13, with the semi-finals scheduled for April 26-27 and May 3-4.
The Stade de France will stage the final on May 28, after St Petersburg was stripped of the match due to Russian military action in Ukraine.
Quarter-final draw
Chelsea v Real Madrid
Manchester City v Atletico Madrid
Villarreal v Bayern Munich
Benfica v Liverpool
Semi-final draw
Manchester City/Atletico Madrid v Chelsea/Real Madrid
Benfica/Liverpool v Villarreal/Bayern Munich
Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli has tested positive for COVID-19, delivering a blow to the Serie A club and the Italy national team.
The 24-year-old is set to miss the Serie A clash with Salernitana on Sunday, and depending on his recovery he could also be a doubt for next week's World Cup qualifying play-off against North Macedonia.
The test outcome was revealed on Thursday, a day after Locatelli played 83 minutes as Juventus lost 3-0 to Villarreal and tumbled out of the Champions League.
Juventus said in a statement: "Juventus Football Club announces that Manuel Locatelli's COVID-19 positivity emerged today. The player, in agreement with the local health authority, has already been placed in solitary confinement."
The Turin giants suffered huge disappointment with their European exit, conceding three times in the final 12 minutes – twice after Locatelli was replaced – to be denied a place in the quarter-finals.
Juventus sit fourth in Serie A and remain in with an outside chance of challenging for the Scudetto, sitting seven points behind leaders Milan with nine rounds of games remaining.
News of Locatelli's positive test is bound to concern Italy boss Roberto Mancini as he finalises plans for the Azzurri's upcoming quest to reach Qatar 2022.
The European champions are due to face North Macedonia on March 24 in Palermo, with the winner of that game going forward to a March 29 tussle against Portugal or Turkey, to decide who goes to the finals.
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