Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool cannot be called the best team in Europe because Manchester City are better.
The Reds won the Champions League last season, having lost the previous year's final to Real Madrid (opens in new tab).
They also recorded a club-record points total in the top flight in 2018/19, yet still finished second to City.
And Klopp, speaking ahead of his team's trip to Napoli (opens in new tab) on Tuesday, believes Pep Guardiola's side are stronger than his.
"There are a lot of good teams out there and you have to prove that constantly," he said.
"We cannot be the best team in Europe because Manchester City (opens in new tab) are the best team in the world - that's the same planet, I heard.
"Last season, we were really good. I'm not too sure we were the best team in Europe, but we were really good in the right moments and that's why we won the Champions League."
Liverpool opened up a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table after beating Newcastle (opens in new tab) 3-1 on Saturday.
READ MORE...
9 things you might not have known about this season's Champions League (opens in new tab)
10 players we’re very excited to see in the Champions League group stage
Who would play every Premier League manager if they were cast in a Hollywood film?
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).