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Robertson: Champions League rivals fear Liverpool

Cape Town - Liverpool defender Andrew Robertson reckons there's no one in the Champions League who would want to face the Reds in the knockout stages.

Jurgen Klopp's side have reached a European final in three of the four seasons he has been at the club, starting with the Europa League in 2016 and then back-to-back appearances in the elite competition culminating with a sixth European Cup in June.

Having booked a last-16 spot as group winners after a 2-0 win over RB Salzburg in Austria, the clubhead into the new year eyeing a third successive Champions League final.

And Robertson believes none of their opponents will want to be pitted against them in Monday's draw in Nyon.

"We respect every opponent we play but we know the way we have done things in the last two years and nobody wants to play against us and that is clear - but it is up to us to keep proving that," said the Scotland captain.

"We cannot rely on that and we need to keep proving why people don't want to play against us but, so far, we have done that.

"We will wait for the draw and see who we get in the last 16. We know it will be tough regardless, but we look forward to the challenge as we want to go far in this tournament again."

Liverpool have made a habit of making life tough on themselves in the group stage, having taken qualification to the final game for the last three years, but coming alive in the knockout phase.

It is that form which makes them such unenviable opposition, having beaten the likes of Bayern Munich, Roma, Manchester City and - most famously Barcelona in May over the last two seasons.

"That is the atmosphere we have created in the last two years, a team which has been to the finals twice and has obviously lost one and won one and we are respected in this tournament," Robertson added.

"Maybe the first season when we went to the final, I don't think we were really respected until maybe after the quarter-final when we went to Porto and washed them away (winning 5-0 in Portugal).

"We did not get the respect we deserved. Now, we know we are respected in Europe. No-one will want us but everyone who gets into the last 16 will fancy themselves.

"Last year and the year before we have been excellent in the knockout stages and we have controlled games, but we know that now, we are the champions, and everyone wants to beat us.

"That is what we have to deal with and hopefully we can deal with it well. But there are about 40 games between now and the last 16 (in February) - so we will worry about that when the time comes."

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