Liverpool vs. Borussia Dortmund: Daniel Sturridge Talks Mats Hummels, FIFA, More

Daniel Sturridge insists he will not be overawed by anything when Liverpool face Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday and compared the clash to "playing a final on FIFA." 

The Reds hold a slight advantage going into the quarter-final second leg at Anfield, having claimed an away goal in the 1-1 draw at Signal Iduna Park, and striker Sturridge said he has no fear in going up against Dortmund centre-back Mats Hummels, per David Lynch on Liverpool's official website:

"

I’m at his level, so I don’t look at him as anyone who’s bigger than me or better than me or I’m in awe. 

Not at all. He’s the same as me. We face players at the top level in the Premier League—it’s the best league in the world. 

We face defenders who don’t probably get as much credit as they deserve. I’ve been playing at the top level for a long time now so it’s nothing new. 

It’s just going to be a great night for everyone, and you can’t let nerves get the better of you. You just have to enjoy it, that’s what life’s all about.

"

Sturridge's battle with 2014 FIFA World Cup winner Hummels could be one of the deciding factors on Merseyside as Liverpool and Dortmund look to book themselves a spot in the Europa League semi-finals.

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The Reds face a tough task as Dortmund are unbeaten in 2016, but Sturridge, 26, is determined to enjoy the occasion and compared it to going up against his friends on FIFA, per Lynch:

"It's like when you’re playing a final on FIFA and you’re playing against your mate. You’ve all put £20 in the middle and there’s £100. The pressure’s on, your palms are sweaty, but as you get into the game, the nerves go away and you enjoy it. And that’s exactly what it’s like."

There are subplots aplenty ahead of the Anfield clash, with much of the focus on Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp as he looks to oust his former team from the competition.

Bleacher Report's Dean Jones and Sam Tighe are predicting a tough night for the German manager on Thursday:

However, Liverpool were given little chance ahead of the first leg and came away with a valuable away goal—scored by Divock Origi ahead of Hummels' equaliser—after a fine performance in Dortmund.

Sturridge was only a substitute at the Westfalenstadion but made a claim for a starting spot on Thursday by netting against Stoke City in Sunday's 4-1 win.

The Englishman has also set himself a challenging goalscoring target for the future, per Lynch:

"I know I can perform a lot better than I am now but it’s just that fitness and the repetition of playing 90 minutes is important as well. It’s never easy to score in every game so I can’t really set myself that standard but I think being better than one in two is really where you want to really be at."

Origi netted twice against the Potters as well, and Klopp faces a significant dilemma in whether or not to start both the Belgian and Sturridge against Dortmund.

Per BBC Sport's Conor McNamara, he has previously insisted that they can work together in partnership:

It would be a bold move from Klopp, but one that could pay significant dividends if Liverpool can force an early goal, which would sway the finely balanced tie in the Reds' favour.