Carlo Ancelotti laughed off Anfield’s reputation as one of Europe’s most intimidating venues by claiming Atalanta will be tougher opponents than Liverpool.

Ancelotti’s Napoli side are on the brink of qualification to the last-16 of the Champions League but must travel to Anfield, where Liverpool have not lost a European fixture since October 2014, in the final round of matches.

Jurgen Klopp’s team must win either 1-0, or by two clear goals, to guarantee passage to the knockout stages, which would be at Napoli’s expense if Paris St Germain avoid defeat against Red Star Belgrade in the other fixture.

Ancelotti has won the Champions League three times as a coach, twice with AC Milan and once with Real Madrid, and attempted to take the pressure off his players after their win over Red Star last night.

“We must go to Anfield with courage and play our game,” he said.

“Now let’s think about the Serie A game at Atalanta on Monday, which will be more difficult than Liverpool.”

Ancelotti is nobody’s fool. Having coached some of the most famous clubs in the world, including Milan, Real, Bayern and Juventus — as well as spending time at Chelsea — the 59-year-old understands the size of the challenge ahead but will not allow his players to be beaten before they start, or to lose focus on their domestic tasks.

Liverpool find themselves in a tight spot after losing 2-1 in Paris last night, when they were blown away by a powerful first-half performance from the wealthy French champions.

In Pictures | Champions League gameweek 5 | 28/11/2018 34 show all In Pictures | Champions League gameweek 5 | 28/11/2018 1/34 PSG vs Liverpool AFP/Getty Images 2/34 PSG vs Liverpool EPA 3/34 Tottenham vs Inter Milan AFP/Getty Images 4/34 PSG vs Liverpool Getty Images 5/34 PSV vs Barcelona REUTERS 6/34 Tottenham vs Inter Milan Getty Images 7/34 PSG vs Liverpool REUTERS 8/34 Dortmund vs Club Brugge REUTERS 9/34 Porto vs Schalke AFP/Getty Images 10/34 PSG vs Liverpool AFP/Getty Images 11/34 Atletico Madrid vs AS Monaco AFP/Getty Images 12/34 PSG vs Liverpool Getty Images 13/34 PSV vs Barcelona EPA 14/34 Napoli vs Red Star Belgrade AFP/Getty Images 15/34 PSG vs Liverpool AFP/Getty Images 16/34 PSG vs Liverpool AP 17/34 PSG vs Liverpool PA 18/34 PSG vs Liverpool Action Images via Reuters 19/34 PSG vs Liverpool AP 20/34 Lokomotiv Moscow vs Galatasaray AFP/Getty Images 21/34 PSG vs Liverpool REUTERS 22/34 Atletico Madrid vs AS Monaco AFP/Getty Images 23/34 PSG vs Liverpool Action Images via Reuters 24/34 Tottenham vs Inter Milan Getty Images 25/34 Lokomotiv Moscow vs Galatasaray AFP/Getty Images 26/34 PSG vs Liverpool Action Images via Reuters 27/34 Atletico Madrid vs AS Monaco AFP/Getty Images 28/34 PSG vs Liverpool Action Images via Reuters 29/34 Porto vs Schalke Getty Images 30/34 Dortmund vs Club Brugge Bongarts/Getty Images, 31/34 Dortmund vs Club Brugge Bongarts/Getty Images, 32/34 PSV vs Barcelona Getty Images 33/34 Atletico Madrid vs AS Monaco AFP/Getty Images 34/34 Atletico Madrid vs AS Monaco REUTERS 1/34 PSG vs Liverpool AFP/Getty Images 2/34 PSG vs Liverpool EPA 3/34 Tottenham vs Inter Milan AFP/Getty Images 4/34 PSG vs Liverpool Getty Images 5/34 PSV vs Barcelona REUTERS 6/34 Tottenham vs Inter Milan Getty Images 7/34 PSG vs Liverpool REUTERS 8/34 Dortmund vs Club Brugge REUTERS 9/34 Porto vs Schalke AFP/Getty Images 10/34 PSG vs Liverpool AFP/Getty Images 11/34 Atletico Madrid vs AS Monaco AFP/Getty Images 12/34 PSG vs Liverpool Getty Images 13/34 PSV vs Barcelona EPA 14/34 Napoli vs Red Star Belgrade AFP/Getty Images 15/34 PSG vs Liverpool AFP/Getty Images 16/34 PSG vs Liverpool AP 17/34 PSG vs Liverpool PA 18/34 PSG vs Liverpool Action Images via Reuters 19/34 PSG vs Liverpool AP 20/34 Lokomotiv Moscow vs Galatasaray AFP/Getty Images 21/34 PSG vs Liverpool REUTERS 22/34 Atletico Madrid vs AS Monaco AFP/Getty Images 23/34 PSG vs Liverpool Action Images via Reuters 24/34 Tottenham vs Inter Milan Getty Images 25/34 Lokomotiv Moscow vs Galatasaray AFP/Getty Images 26/34 PSG vs Liverpool Action Images via Reuters 27/34 Atletico Madrid vs AS Monaco AFP/Getty Images 28/34 PSG vs Liverpool Action Images via Reuters 29/34 Porto vs Schalke Getty Images 30/34 Dortmund vs Club Brugge Bongarts/Getty Images, 31/34 Dortmund vs Club Brugge Bongarts/Getty Images, 32/34 PSV vs Barcelona Getty Images 33/34 Atletico Madrid vs AS Monaco AFP/Getty Images 34/34 Atletico Madrid vs AS Monaco REUTERS

Neymar was in inspired form, but Klopp was disappointed with some of the home team’s antics in the second half, when they sought to slow down the game by exaggerating fouls.

Liverpool squad 2019-20 | Injuries, contracts and squad numbers 25 show all Liverpool squad 2019-20 | Injuries, contracts and squad numbers 1/25 We run you through Liverpool's squad for the 2019-20 season... EPA 2/25 Alisson Becker Squad Number: 1



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 EPA 3/25 Fabinho Squad Number: 3



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 PA/Peter Byrne 4/25 Virgil van Dijk Squad Number: 4



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images 5/25 Georginio Wijnaldum Squad Number: 5



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 PA 6/25 Dejan Lovren Squad Number: 6



Condition: Knock (late fitness test)



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Liverpool FC via Getty Images 7/25 James Milner Squad Number: 7



Condition: Ready to return



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 AFP/Getty Images 8/25 Naby Keita Squad Number: 8



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images/Liverpool FC 9/25 Roberto Firmino Squad Number: 9



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 AFP/Getty Images 10/25 Sadio Mane Squad Number: 10



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images/Liverpool FC 11/25 Mohamed Salah Squad Number: 11



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 AFP/Getty Images 12/25 Joe Gomez Squad Number: 12



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 EPA 13/25 Adrian Squad Number: 13



Condition: Fit



West Ham United FC via Getty Ima 14/25 Jordan Henderson Squad Number: 14



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 PA 15/25 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain Squad Number: 15



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images 16/25 Takumi Minamino Squad Number: 18



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Action Images via Reuters 17/25 Adam Lallana Squad Number: 20



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2020 Action images via Reuters 18/25 Xherdan Shaqiri Squad Number: 23



Condition: Calf injury (late fitness test)



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Liverpool FC via Getty Images 19/25 Rhian Brewster Squad Number: 24



Condition: Fit (on loan at Swansea)



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Liverpool FC via Getty Images 20/25 Andrew Robertson Squad Number: 26



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 21/25 Divock Origi Squad Number: 27



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: New long-term deal signed on 10/07/2019 Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images 22/25 Joel Matip Squad Number: 32



Condition: Ankle injury (Ruled out)



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 David Blunsden/Action Plus 23/25 Trent Alexander-Arnold Squad Number: 66



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 REUTERS 24/25 Kamil Grabara Squad Number: 73



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Liverpool FC via Getty Images 25/25 Sepp van den Berg Squad Number: 72



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Liverpool FC via Getty Images 1/25 We run you through Liverpool's squad for the 2019-20 season... EPA 2/25 Alisson Becker Squad Number: 1



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 EPA 3/25 Fabinho Squad Number: 3



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 PA/Peter Byrne 4/25 Virgil van Dijk Squad Number: 4



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images 5/25 Georginio Wijnaldum Squad Number: 5



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 PA 6/25 Dejan Lovren Squad Number: 6



Condition: Knock (late fitness test)



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Liverpool FC via Getty Images 7/25 James Milner Squad Number: 7



Condition: Ready to return



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 AFP/Getty Images 8/25 Naby Keita Squad Number: 8



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images/Liverpool FC 9/25 Roberto Firmino Squad Number: 9



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 AFP/Getty Images 10/25 Sadio Mane Squad Number: 10



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images/Liverpool FC 11/25 Mohamed Salah Squad Number: 11



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 AFP/Getty Images 12/25 Joe Gomez Squad Number: 12



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 EPA 13/25 Adrian Squad Number: 13



Condition: Fit



West Ham United FC via Getty Ima 14/25 Jordan Henderson Squad Number: 14



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 PA 15/25 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain Squad Number: 15



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images 16/25 Takumi Minamino Squad Number: 18



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Action Images via Reuters 17/25 Adam Lallana Squad Number: 20



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2020 Action images via Reuters 18/25 Xherdan Shaqiri Squad Number: 23



Condition: Calf injury (late fitness test)



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Liverpool FC via Getty Images 19/25 Rhian Brewster Squad Number: 24



Condition: Fit (on loan at Swansea)



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Liverpool FC via Getty Images 20/25 Andrew Robertson Squad Number: 26



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 21/25 Divock Origi Squad Number: 27



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: New long-term deal signed on 10/07/2019 Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images 22/25 Joel Matip Squad Number: 32



Condition: Ankle injury (Ruled out)



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 David Blunsden/Action Plus 23/25 Trent Alexander-Arnold Squad Number: 66



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 REUTERS 24/25 Kamil Grabara Squad Number: 73



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Liverpool FC via Getty Images 25/25 Sepp van den Berg Squad Number: 72



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Liverpool FC via Getty Images

“We are the fairest team in England, but tonight we looked like butchers,” said the German. “They were always down and it looked like we used elbows.”