Brendan Rogers says Liverpool are back in the Champions League as contenders

Liverpool manager Brendan Roger has stated emphatically that his team are not back in the UEFA Champions League as ''tourist'' but contenders.

 

The Reds are in Group B with defending champions Real Madrid, Basel and Ludogorets.

 

“We are not tourists in this competition – we believe it is where we belong and where we should be playing,” Rodgers told reporters.

 

''For the players and everyone involved it’s something that brings the real excitement, but it isn’t a ''giddy'' excitement.

 

''We are Liverpool, we are five times winners of the European Cup and we are synonymous with its best traditions. Our players are excited, not daunted. We have earned the right to be there.''

 

 The Reds, who have won the trophy five times in the past, have failed to participate in Europe’s elite club competition since the 2009/2010 season.