Jürgen Klopp returned to the scene of his greatest managerial triumph insisting he feels like a Champions League contender rather than a European champion, as he targets a third successive final. Two hundred and sixty-one days since departing Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano embracing the European Cup, Klopp heard Atlético rival Diego Simeone say the current Liverpool team will be regarded as one of the greatest in history. Increasingly accustomed to such tributes, Liverpool’s manager insisted his side are focused on the future rather than past glories. “We do not feel like the winner of last year’s Champions League final, we feel like the contender of this year,” Klopp said. “Hopefully we can show that. We want to be there in Istanbul [in the final]. We want to go as far as possible. “We see ourselves as a team that can go to the final and can win the competition. Not the only team, one of the teams. When you start, not all teams that enter can win. As a team we have a chance and that is what we try to show in all these different games. “Always we struggle a bit in the group stage and then knockout we were quite convincing, so hopefully it will be like this tomorrow.” If familiarity breeds content, Liverpool will stride even more confidently into the stadium where they collected the giant trophy for the sixth time, after June’s 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur. Such is the stature of Klopp’s team, Simeone offered the most lavish praise to emphasise the scale of his side’s task in the last-16 tie. “We have always spoken about great teams and I have no doubt this Liverpool team will go down in football history as a great team because it is different to other teams. “This team is more intensive, changes and adapts. I admire this as a rival coach,” Simeone said. But the Atlético coach also promised an “explosive” atmosphere – one that Klopp is already anticipating given that both managers wear their hearts on their sleeves in the technical area. “People say about me I am emotional on the sideline. If I am level four I would say he is level 12,” Klopp said. “I am like the Kindergarten Cop against him. Playing Atlético is one of the most difficult things in the life of a football player. Really well organised, a results machine, squeezing results pretty much out of each game. “Yes, people will tell me that this year is not like it was, but it’s a transition period. But they are still fighting with all they have. What they played this season was not as bad as people say, and has nothing to do with their chances. “If there is a team where you have to be at your absolute best it is Atlético, because there are no presents. If you work as hard as possible you have a chance. If you do not you have no chance. There is a reason why Atlético was in European finals as well. “But on the other side, I do not think they play against a team like us. We should not forget that. We combine a few things. We are organised as well, we respect the game, have a readiness to play. We play football and we are ready to fight.” It was at this stage of last season when the dominant Liverpool of the past eight months started to fully form. Klopp referenced the last-16 victory over Bayern Munich as a prototype performance, with the Germans effectively checkmated as they did not know whether to defend or attack. Atlético, a pragmatic side, now face the same strategic problem, knowing they must take a positive result to Anfield. Klopp said: “Some of the best games we had were away games. Bayern was one of the best I witnessed. Barcelona was 3-0 [defeat] but one of the best I have witnessed. “If we can get a result we know Anfield is a proper threat and help. That is the story so far.” Perhaps incredibly, given Liverpool’s domestic run, Klopp has the chance to select what many regard as his first-choice line-up for the first time this season. The likely starting XI – the team who won last year’s final, with Joe Gomez replacing Joel Matip – have not played a single minute of this campaign together. Among them, Trent Alexander-Arnold responded to Brazilian legend Cafu suggesting he sees some of himself in the Liverpool’s youngster’s game. “Obviously massive praise from a legend of the game, which is something that I’m really thankful for and I have to give thanks to him for those words,” said Alexander-Arnold. “I try and be the best player I can be. It’s a team game so it’s about the players I have around me in training and the manager.” Team details (probable) Atlético ​Madrid (4-4-2): Oblak; Arias, Savic, Felipe, Lodi; Thomas, Llorente, Saul, Koke; Correa, Morata. Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Gomez, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mané. Referee: Szymon Marciniak (Poland).