Liverpool have a chance to win everything: Enrique
Former Liverpool left-back dismisses Gary Neville's stance that they must forget about the Champions League in order to mount a successful EPL title tilt
European football without Liverpool is supposedly akin to a banquet devoid of wine.
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But ex-Manchester United star Gary Neville, commenting in a column, believes that Juergen Klopp's side should make their excuses and leave the Champions League party if they are to end a near three-decade wait for domestic success.
In recent years, both on the continent and in the English Premier League, the Reds have been so near and yet so far; with title challenges and showpiece shortfalls often intrinsically linked.
Attempts to fight on dual fronts have unseated several of Anfield's recent custodians.
Rafael Benitez saw his side pipped to the EPL crown by Manchester United while being eliminated from Europe's elite club competition in the quarter-final stage at the hands of Chelsea in the 2008/09 season.
Kicking off their Group C campaign against Paris Saint-Germain tomorrow morning (Singapore time), last season's finalists learn whether they will be forced back into that competitive cul-de-sac.
But Jose Enrique, a member of the last Liverpool team to lift silverware in 2012, sees no reason why his former club should be bound by this particular Sophie's Choice any longer.
"For me, they have to play for both competitions. They spent a good amount of money this summer on players," he told The New Paper in an exclusive interview.
"With Manchester City, I think they have the best squad in the Premier League. In Europe, there're not many better teams.
"I don't think there's any really. They can compete against anyone.
"Last year, with a worse squad, they nearly won the Champions League but were quite unlucky because everything went wrong in that game (against Real Madrid). This year, they have an even better team.
"When you play four competitions; two cups, the Champions League and Premier League, you need a bigger squad because in any moment, you get like last year with (Mohamed) Salah's injury. This year, you have (Xherdan) Shaqiri to replace him.
"Of course, Salah is a player who is very difficult to replace but they have better replacements for the starting XI, so I think they have to go for everything. They have a chance to win everything."
Enrique's passion for the Champions League remains undimmed despite the competition eluding him in all bar one of his five seasons on Merseyside.
The former defender is similarly enthused by the strides Klopp has made in his former domain with the pricey yet astute signings such as Alisson and Virgil van Dijk since the turn of the year.
"I remember when I was there, it was difficult to get in the Champions League for us," he added.
"One year, we finished second but the season (2010/11) before I signed, we finished in sixth with Kenny Dalglish.
"But it was so difficult to get in there.
"Now, for me, Liverpool are a title contender - it's not just the Champions League.
"They signed van Dijk last year, they paid a lot of money and everyone criticised how much they paid but the reality is how the market is.
"They criticised as well with Alisson and how much they paid for a goalkeeper and then Chelsea paid even more money for another goalkeeper, so you can see how the transfer market is going.
"Liverpool are spending money, it's true, but it's what you have to do to compete against the best teams."
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