Same shite, different years. There were doomsdayers here last year saying the same for the Madrid game, that their legs were gone and Liverpool’s press would trample over them in a comfortable victory. Truth be told, bar a frenetic opening ten minutes, Liverpool rarely saw the ball. Modric ran the show and Madrid’s use of the ball rendered Liverpool’s press mute. Barcelona’s midfield (and team in general) are even better at keeping the ball and ensure you chase shadows.
Can Wijnaldum, Milner and Henderson really compete with Busquets, Rakitic and Arthur? Can that Liverpool defence curtail Messi, Suarez and Dembele? (Don’t worry about Coutinho, he won’t start - even if I agree with your assertion that he’d be prone to stage fright v his own club, Suarez less so given his mental resilience and don’t-give-a-feck attitude on the field.)
Of course Liverpool have the potential to shred Barcelona in the transitions if Barcelona cough the ball up in dangerous areas but Valverde and his players will know that’s Liverpool only major forte. They’ll be well wise to this and will suitably prepare. How do you prepare for Messi if you are Liverpool, however? Double-team him? He’ll just find the player in the better position. Go 1v1 and hope Robertson is up to the task? Robertson has been very shaky defensively this season and it would be a huge gamble by Klopp. Have no plan for Messi and trust your system? Pah! Messi will run amok in the freedom he’s afforded.
I was confident last May that Madrid’s quality would overcome any bum-rush tactic Klopp would conjure up and I have the same confidence Barcelona will do the same. If they can stop Liverpool scoring at the Nou Camp (easier said than done, mind, but not outside the realms of possibility considering we do it to Liverpool at Old Trafford routinely), they’ll qualify as I can’t see Liverpool keeping a clean sheet at Anfield if they need to score in the home leg. Barcelona will exploit the gaps they leave expertly. This is a side who think nothing of going to red-hot atmospheres like the Bernabeu and Atletico’s new place and dominating games with plenty of goals scored to boot, and people here are worried about the ‘Anfield factor’? Give me strength.
It's the other way round. Some act as if Liverpool are some all conquering force like United were under SAF. They are not an elite footballing team, they are just efficient with long balls to their forwards to get goals and the defence to keep a clean sheet.