Jurgen Klopp Says Diego Simeone Won't Be Celebrating Liverpool Draw in UCL

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp does not believe Atletico Madrid counterpart Diego Simeone will have been pleased after they were drawn to face one another in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League. 

They will face off in one of several eye-catching ties following Monday's draw:

Klopp told the club's website:

"Really, really good. A good draw, a difficult game like it should be.

"But I don't think Mr. Simeone is running through his living room and is happy that he got Liverpool.

"It will be a tough game. Two teams who are used to playing intense football, different styles and slightly different organisation of course, but both are ready for intensity, and that makes it pretty tough for both."

The German is relishing the prospect of returning to the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, too, per Goal's Neil Jones:

The venue held last season's final, in which Liverpool beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 to win the European Cup/Champions League for the sixth time.

It will be a tough early test for the Reds, who are bidding to reach the final of the competition for the third season running.

Their clash will also mark the first time Klopp and Simeone have faced one another:

Football writer Kaustubh Pandey anticipates a hard-fought contest:

Los Rojiblancos have shipped just 10 goals in 17 La Liga matches this season, so breaching their back line will be difficult even for a side of the Reds' attacking capabilities.

They've reached the final twice in recent memory, having done so in 2014 and 2016, as well as a run to the semi-finals in 2017.

However, last season they were eliminated in the round of 16 by Juventus, having taken a 2-0 lead in the first leg. In the campaign before, they were knocked out in the group stage, although they subsequently went on to win the UEFA Europa League.

They've had struggles going forward this season since the departure of Antoine Griezmann to Barcelona in the summer, having netted just 18 goals in La Liga.

Liverpool have been the strongest side in Europe this season—they're the only team still unbeaten in Europe's top five leagues and they've only dropped points once on the domestic front—so they'll be favourites to progress.