Jürgen Klopp knows Liverpool face a ‘difficult’ task to overcome Bayern Munich in the Champions League - but the boss is relishing the challenge of doing so.

The Reds were paired with the German champions during Monday’s last-16 draw, with Anfield to host the first leg on Tuesday February 19 and the second leg scheduled for Wednesday March 13 at the Allianz Arena.

Of course, Klopp’s background means he is well acquainted with Bayern and he offered his thoughts on the tie to Liverpoolfc.com immediately after the draw.

Read on for the manager’s reaction…

On the draw…

Difficult. Good draw. It was clear it would be difficult [and] they are obviously a top side. For me it’s nice, going to Germany. But it’s just the draw. So we have now time to prepare the game, a lot of time obviously, and hopefully we have all our players available then. It will be a tough one, an interesting one, and I am looking forward to it.

On whether his history with Bayern makes any difference to the tie…

I don’t know. This is a different Bayern than what I played, we are already here for three years [and] since the Audi Cup [in the summer of 2017]. We all know the stadium, the atmosphere will be great. It’s a really nice trip for all our supporters, it’s a wonderful city, so that’s all good. The flight is not too long and we obviously know more about German football than about any other league, that’s true, but that doesn’t make a big, massive difference. In the end, the boys have to decide it on the pitch. Let’s give it a try.

On the draw pairing two of the world’s biggest clubs…

One hundred per cent. In the last couple of years they have dominated the German league in the best period of German football. Everybody was talking about Germany being in a really good moment and Bayern was dominating the league, that’s the truth. It’s nice. It’s obviously long ago that I played Bayern in a competitive game, so I’m really looking forward to it.

On whether the fact Bayern have a winter break could influence the tie…

The winter break doesn’t make a massive difference. It makes only a massive difference with injuries and stuff like that, German clubs have the time, two or three weeks, to bring players back and stuff like that while in the same moment we have 10 games. But in February it should not have a massive influence.

On Xherdan Shaqiri and members of his backroom team facing their former club…

It’s nice for Mona [Nemmer] and Korny [Andreas Kornmayer] and Shaq. I will meet former players [too] and it’s good. But at the end it’s a football game on the highest level and we have to play it. We knew it before, it’s not that anybody thought ‘thank God it’s Liverpool’, so we don’t think ‘thank God it’s Bayern’. It’s a tough one, but that’s how it should be. It’s the last 16 of the Champions League so there are only tough teams in and I’m really excited about it.