Borussia Dortmund’s marquee forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang still cannot understand how his side managed to lose to Liverpool in the Europa League quarterfinal.
Liverpool went through 5-4 on aggregate after a jaw-dropping 4-3 comeback win at Anfield. BVB were 3-1 up and cruising, but goals from Coutinho, Mamadou Sakho and Dejan Lovren secured our passage to the semis, where we face Spanish outfit Villarreal on Thursday.
According to the Gabon international, Liverpool’s response that famous Anfield night was thanks to Jurgen Klopp’s inspiration.
“Even now I can’t believe it,” said Aubameyang. “It’s unbelievable. But we knew Liverpool could do this.
“For sure I think Jurgen Klopp was a factor. When we played in Dortmund, everyone was speaking about him and he knows us.
“After 3-1 I don’t think we thought ‘okay, now we can keep calm’, but I think we were a little bit too deep in our own half. Normally we’d have done more pressing and it would have been good.
“Liverpool have something special. Klopp has brought this energy. They can win every time, and even when they’re losing they can come back.
“They have something special I think, and they can win the Europa League for sure.”
Klopp was amazing that night, but so were the crowd and the players. It was an all-round effort which downed one of the very best teams in Europe.
As a result of his form this season, Aubameyang is one of the most sought after strikers in world football, and has openly stated he’d one day like to move to La Liga or the Premier League, having already played in Italy, France and Germany – Europe’s three other top leagues.
“I hope so! Why not? It would be very good, very nice. We will see,” Aubameyang told the Meet a Star foundation, cited by Goal, when asked if he would move to Spain or England at some point.
“My dream is to play in Spain, because my mother is from Spain and I have some family there. It is one of my dreams. But for the moment I’m in Germany.
“I watch the Premier League for sure. I watch some games.
“The teams are very, very good and I like it because every game is open. And there’s so much space – and I love space because then I can run!
“That’s why it’s a very good and very special league.”
We’d obviously take him at Liverpool in a heartbeat, but the 26-year-old would cost a fee approaching Gareth Bale’s £85m world record, so he’s likely out of price-range.