Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says the club are now back where they belong after beating Bayern Munich 3-1 at the Allianz Arena to book their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
After drawing 0-0 in the first leg at Anfield, the tie remained wide open heading into Wednesday night’s clash in Munich but a comprehensive display saw Liverpool progress thanks to a brace from Sadio Mane and a header from Virgil van Dijk.
They now enter Friday morning’s draw for the quarter-finals alongside Premier League rivals Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as Juventus, Barcelona, Ajax and Porto.
Beaten finalists in 2018, Liverpool defeated Man City over two legs at the quarter-final stage last term, whilst also thrashing Porto 5-0 on aggregate in the round of 16.
Klopp has now transformed Liverpool from a perennial Europa League team to one which has now made the last eight of the Champions League in back-to-back seasons and are virtually guaranteed a place in the competition next season.
The German was in no doubt that these are the kind of stages that a club of their stature needs to be playing at.
"Scoring three here is really difficult, that's massive, and a big step for us," said Klopp.
"We will see what we can do with it, but it's a fantastic sign. I love it. We set a mark for LFC with this wonderful club that we really are back on the landscape of top international football.
"We all think that's where this club belongs and tonight we proved it at least a bit. I am really happy about the result and the fact we are through.
"There are some places in world football where whatever team comes, whether it's Manchester City, Barcelona, Real Madrid, they know it is a very tough place.
"It's not about playing your best free-flowing football, that's not possible against this quality because you cannot use your speed really because the other team is quick as well. It's not a massive advantage. You have to find different ways and tonight we found them.
"That makes me really proud and happy because I really think this club deserves the awareness again. We are back, it's so good. We have a lot to improve and develop and a lot to learn but we are back and I like that fact."
Klopp remains unbeaten on German soil as Liverpool manager, winning two and drawing two of his four games away to Bundesliga sides, having faced Augsburg, Borussia Dortmund, Hoffenheim and Bayern in European competition.
Ahead of Friday’s draw for the quarter-finals, Liverpool have been priced as fourth-favourites to win the Champions League this season at 5/1 with most bookmakers. Currently ahead of them in the outright markets are Manchester City (5/2), Barcelona (7/2) and Juventus (4/1).
Elsewhere, fellow Premier League sides Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are 12/1 and 16/1 respectively after both got past Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund in the last 16.
Ajax are available at 25/1 after upsetting Real Madrid in the last 16, beating the reigning champions 4-1 at the Bernabeu, while Potuguese giants Porto are huge outsiders to go all the way at 80/1.
