Liverpool legend Markus Babbel believes squad depth could play a vital role Jurgen Klopp’s team winning the Champions League this season.
The Reds will be hoping to take an advantage in their quarter-final first leg against Benfica in Lisbon on Tuesday.
Klopp’s team are in exceptional form domestically and in Europe, having lost just once in 2022, and could still win the Quadruple this season after lifting the Carabao Cup in February.
Last season saw a number of Reds stars, including Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip, sidelined for large portions of the campaign.
That has not been the case this term and the addition of Luis Diaz during the January transfer window has only strengthened Liverpool’s cause, giving Babbel confidence they can win the Champions League.
Liverpool have been unstoppable this year
“They definitely have the quality [to win the Champions League,” Babbel told TribalFootball.com, on behalf of bet365.
“They had many injuries before so all the players are coming back now and you see how strong they are. And not even 11 players are strong, they have a team of 16 to 18 players who can play because they have so much quality. This is the biggest point for Liverpool because if someone got injured half a year ago, it was a massive problem. So that’s it not a problem anymore.
“Even the new ones, like Konate, had massive problems in the beginning, so now he is improving. Matip is playing outstanding, van Dijk has come back from a big injury and is doing better and better. Fabinho is back, he is one of the most important players in this team, Thiago is going better and better.
“[Luis] Diaz, a new player, I can’t believe that he is doing so well from the first game on. You’d think he was playing for Liverpool for 10 years. He had no problems adapting to the league and team. It’s fantastic.
“They have the quality to win this competition, but there is so much time to go and you don’t know what can happen in between.”
Should Liverpool overcome Benfica across two matches, they will face the winner of Bayern Munich and Villarreal in the semi-final.
Bayern – who Babbel represented for over seven years – are heavy favourites to defeat the Spanish side.
Luis Diaz has been a revelation for Liverpool
Asked who would win between his two former clubs, Babbel said Liverpool had an advantage as their squad has more depth than the Bundesliga giants.
“I’m really crossing my fingers because my dream would be Liverpool or Bayern Munich,” the Euro96 winner added.
“I think, if everything goes well, we will see them in the semi-final facing each other. The good thing for me is that one team will make the final, perfect. But they have the quality to win this title, 100 per cent.
“First of all there is a game in between. First concentrate on that. The Champions League, all the teams now have quality. In two games anything is possible. If you are not ready 100 per cent then you have problems. Even Liverpool, who have a massive squad, fantastic players, but if you’re not ready, you can have problems.
“Bayern Munich the squad is not so big. They have 13 or 14 fantastic players but if something goes wrong in the next couple of weeks then they are struggling.
“Even now, they have problems if [Joshua] Kimmich is injured or other players in the defence. Its difficult to say. Both clubs have the quality to win the title but you need a bit of luck on your side as well.”
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