Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona: 5 Tactics from Klopp that won the game

#3 Neutralizing Lionel Messi

Liverpool v Barcelona - UEFA Champions League Semi Final: Second Leg

The first leg had been a learning experience for Jurgen Klopp, who is a self-admitted Messi fan. The German watched from the sidelines as his team were taken apart by a viscous Lionel Messi. Klopp saw that his team had no answers for the brilliant Barcelona skipper and even admitted his mistake in the post-match reactions. However, he had clearly studied his nemesis and hatched a plot.

At Anfield, Klopp did not allow Messi any room or time on the ball to have an impact. Whereas in Camp Nou the German had shown too much respect to the Argentinean, at home, he resorted to crowding Messi up. Every time the Barcelona Skipper had the ball at his feet, Milner and Fabinho were on his shoulders. Every time Messi ventured into the box, van Dijk kept a close watch on the Barcelona No. 10.

The Argentinean went on to have a really quiet night on the field and this crippled Barcelona. By stopping Lionel Messi, Jurgen Klopp managed to get the better of Barcelona.