Liverpool’s Xherdan Shaqiri excited to take on former side Bayern Munich

Liverpool forward Xherdan Shaqiri is relishing a Champions League reunion with former club Bayern Munich.

Shaqiri spent two-and-and-a-half years at Bayern before joining Stoke in a £12million deal in July 2015.

The 27-year-old Switzerland international moved on to Liverpool last summer and said he always hoped he would face Bayern in the Champions League.

‘I was very happy because I wanted to play against Bayern Munich, against my old team-mates and my old team,’ Shaqiri told Liverpoolfc.com ahead of Tuesday’s last-16 first-leg tie at Anfield.

‘It was an amazing time (at Bayern). We won a lot of titles, we won the Champions League. We had the best team Bayern Munich had.

‘It was an amazing feeling to win so many trophies. I had many great memories there, I will never forget them.

Shaqiri spent two-and-and-a-half years at Bayern before joining Stoke in a £12m deal in 2015

‘I’m really looking forward to going there and trying to win the game in Munich with my team.’

Liverpool were Champions League finalists last season, losing 3-1 to Real Madrid in Kiev.

Jurgen Klopp’s side set up the Bayern tie by coming through a tough pre-Christmas qualifying group that also included Paris Saint-Germain, Napoli and Red Star Belgrade.

‘They are going to be two very difficult games against Bayern because they are a top side,’ Shaqiri said.

‘The two games will be interesting because both teams attack and play offensively.

‘We need two very good performances to go through. We can go very far, I hope.’

The 27-year-old said he always hoped he would face Bayern in the Champions League