Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said that it’s hard to understand why Atletico Madrid play like they do following the Reds’ defeat at Anfield last night.
Last season’s Champions League winners exited the competition after losing 2-3 to Diego Simeone’s side at home last night.
Things were going well for Liverpool as they were 1-0 up and Roberto Firmino doubled their lead in extra time. However, a brace from Marcos Llorente and a goal from Alvaro Morata saw Atleti win 3-2 and qualify for the quarterfinals of the Champions League. This was Liverpool’s first defeat at Anfield since September 2018.
SEE MORE: Video: Priceless Diego Simeone celebration as Atletico Madrid see off Liverpool
Following the match, Klopp said that it didn’t feel right losing to Los Rojiblancos and also claimed that the La Liga side didn’t play “proper football”. As quoted by Sky Sports, the Liverpool manager said: “We saw all the goals we conceded, we shouldn’t concede these kind of goals. Tonight, it is difficult to explain these goals, but it is like it is.
“I don’t understand with the quality they have the football they play. They could play proper football but they stand deep and have counter-attacks. I realise I am a really bad loser, especially when the boys put such an effort in against world-class players on the other side who defend with two rows of four. It doesn’t feel right tonight, to be honest.
“I am a really under-average loser, to be honest, at least tonight. I could say a lot of things and I would look like the worst loser in the world. The way they play I just don’t get it. But the winner is right. That is how it is.”
Klopp’s comments do prove that he didn’t handle the defeat too well but then again, many wouldn’t given the fact Liverpool seemed the more dominant team in the 90 minutes and while Jan Oblak produced a string of magnificent saves to deny them time and again, Andy Robertson was unlucky to see his header hit the post during the second half of normal time.
Atletico Madrid’s defensive style may have seemed frustrating for the opposition but last night, it was enough to see them advance at the expense of Liverpool as it evidently works for Diego Simeone and his players who have their own style and mentality which has proven to deliver results during his tenure.
In turn, regardless of how they did it and whether or not others approve, they will be delighted to have picked up a win at Anfield and to have moved on to the next round while the focus for Liverpool now switches to the Merseyside derby next week as they close in on sealing the Premier League title.