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Jurgen Klopp believes the mouthwatering Audi Cup clash with Bayern Munich will provide a true indication of Liverpool’s readiness for the new campaign.

The Reds boss was in bullish mood at the pre-match press conference in the city’s Westin Grand Hotel as he backed his squad to mount a challenge for Premier League title glory this term.

Liverpool won the Asia Trophy in Hong Kong last week and maintained momentum with a 3-0 demolition of Hertha in Berlin at the weekend.

However, Klopp knows they face a significant step up in class at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday night (7.30pm kick-off in the UK).

Carlo Ancelotti’s star-studded side have won five successive Bundesliga titles.

“Yes, we will be playing for the championship - that’s what we did last season when we finished fourth,” Klopp said.

(Image: (Photo by Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images For AUDI))

“You don’t start a season without ambition. I think we have our goals and I think we have a good team now.

“We had a bit of bad luck last season too so hopefully that will change, and we have a strong team. Let’s hope we do very well. We have to work very hard to achieve what we want and we are doing that.

“I am very happy with the preparation games until now but this is something different.

“Nothing against Palace, Leicester and Hertha, but this is the next level.

“I think we are ready for that. So far so good. But we could do better and we should do better. This will be a great challenge for us.”

Klopp is relishing the prospect of going into battle with Bayern once again.

(Image: INA FASSBENDER/AFP/Getty Images)

He enjoyed some titanic tussles with them during his seven-year stint with Borussia Dortmund. He remains the last man to stop Bayern winning the title in 2011/12.

“I’m always happy to be here in Munich. I think I won the last game here in a spectacular penalty shootout,” Klopp said.

“I’m with a different club now so it’s nothing to do with Dortmund.

“The team Carlo has here is very good in every position. My affinity to Dortmund is strong but Carlo is a lovely person.

“It’s important to see what we can achieve against Bayern. They are a top team and I’ll be excited to see what kind of team they put out.”

(Image: (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images))

Joe Gomez (knee) and Divock Origi (muscle strain) have been ruled out of the two Audi Cup games due to injury but Loris Karius, Dejan Lovren and James Milner have been passed fit to return.

Nathaniel Clyne and Danny Ward remain sidelined and Danny Ings won’t be considered for selection, while Trent Alexander-Arnold, Marko Grujic and Ben Woodburn will come back into contention after being rested last weekend.

Atletico Madrid face Napoli in the first game on Tuesday (4.45pm in the UK) with the third place play-off and the final taking place on Wednesday night.

“Every club will need to put up two teams. A first XI in one game and then maybe another team in the other,” Klopp said.

(Image: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Asked about the setback Gomez suffered against Hertha, he added: “It’s not a big injury. He just sprained himself a little bit.

“We have a few players who have knocks so it’s a little bit of a puzzle but we’ll do our best. We’ll train at 5pm and see who is available after that.”

The calibre of opposition Liverpool face this week certainly whets the appetite ahead of their highly anticipated return to Europe’s elite.

The Reds will discover on Friday who stands between them and the riches of the Champions League group stage when the play-off round draw is made.

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“We don’t have to make it any bigger than it is,” Klopp said.

“In one-and-a-half weeks we’ll be starting against Watford so every game now is very important.

“If we do beat Bayern then great but it’s only a preparation game. It’s got nothing to do with the Champions League as such.

“Our time at the camp in Tegernsee has been very nice. We have trained hard and now we have a tough team in front of us.”