Jurgen Klopp's likely Liverpool line-up vs Benfica shows where best trophy hope lies

Liverpool won’t welcome the comparison, but it is starting to look like the 2018 Champions League all over again for Jurgen Klopp and his players.

A saunter through the group stage, a Portuguese team in the knockout, and the prospect of a semi-final rather less intimidating than was first imagined. Hell, there is even the chance of Real Madrid in the final.

Back then, the Reds - and the rest of the world - were convinced their ‘reward’ for coming through a difficult quarter-final was a mammoth showdown with one of the true titans of world football in the last four.

It was Barcelona then, who led Roma 4-1 after the first leg of their own quarter final, with the bookies stopping the betting on their place in the semi. This time, it was supposed to be Bayern Munich, the Germans also overwhelming favourites after their narrow first leg defeat in Spain. Yet the fact that Villarreal somehow beat all those odds stacked against them, somehow survived an onslaught from one of the most powerful teams in European football to nick a late winner, changes everything for the Reds.

Instantly, the bookies made Liverpool favourites to win the Champions League, and also brought them in to just 12-1 to complete an historic quadruple. And without question, Klopp’s side now have a clear pathway to Paris on May 28, and one which - at this level - seems a relatively serene passage to their 10th final in the competition. It gives Klopp real food for thought, starting with his team selection against Benfica, as he looks to get the job done with the least amount of fuss possible.

The bookies are rarely wrong, and there is no doubt the Champions League represents their best chance of winning another trophy this season now. In essence, they