CHELSEA loanee Mateo Kovacic has fired a shot at Liverpool following their Champions League defeat to Red Star Belgrade.
Jurgen Klopp’s outfit suffered a 2-0 defeat in Serbia, less than two weeks after a comfortable 4-0 win in the reverse fixture.
Chelsea will hope to avoid a similar fate when they face Europa League group rivals BATE Borisov in Belarus tomorrow evening.
Kovacic, who was part of the Blues side that beat BATE 3-1 last month, was asked whether complacency creeps in after beating a team at home.
He replied: “It’s a good question. I watched the game yesterday and Liverpool struggled.
“There the atmosphere is tough. You have to concentrate here as well and we have to be prepared, making sure the same doesn’t happen to us.
Chelsea can book their spot in the last-32 stage with a win against BATE.
The Blues have a 100 per cent record at the half-way stage in Group L, and are favourites to claim another three points.
Kovacic believes the Europa League represents a great opportunity to win a trophy.
But he warned: “It will be a tough game. We are doing good but we have a chance to play a good game.”
Chelsea have been mentioned as one of the club’s interested in the reported breakaway European Super League.
Kovacic, who won the Champions League with parent club Real Madrid, refused to be drawn on the issue.
“I am not so good informed in the competition, so I don’t know what to say,” he said.
“I have played in lots of leagues and enjoyed it.
“I don’t know about it so can’t give a good comment.”