AND AT WILL BE THAT
Mission impossible as Klopp’s men crash out
LIVERPOOL did lose in a “most beautiful way” as Jurgen Klopp demanded – but they still suffered their worst European exit under him.
the german’s poetry couldn’t hide this humiliation and this is a major black mark in his final season.
Mohamed Salah gave them hope against atalanta when he converted an early penalty, but there was no thrilling comeback in Italy.
It means there will be no last hurrah for Klopp and Liverpool at the europa League Final in Dublin on May 22 and instead his goodbye will be a premier League game at home to Wolves on May 19.
the reds boss had only lost to real Madrid, atletico Madrid and Sevilla in his eight european campaigns at anfield and nobody expected atalanta to add their name.
As spirited as Pool were, the damage was done in the 3-0 loss at Anfield and even the Reds, with fabled powers of recovery, couldn’t pull this one back.
Klopp said: “I liked the game a lot for a long time, the commitment, the desire, the power. this was the reaction we needed. I’m happy with big parts of the game. We’ve had 67 shots in the three games we didn’t win. It’s really strange.
“Disappointed we didn’t go through but not frustrated or angry. now we can focus on league, that’s what we will do.”
Skipper Virgil van Dijk said: “Credit to atalanta. the damage was done last week, when we were very poor and they had the perfect game.
“they deserve to go through, we made it far too difficult.”
Last week’s win at anfield was monumental for atalanta but the job was not totally done and Klopp made six changes in a sign that Liverpool wanted to make amends.
they desperately needed an early goal and they got it when Matteo ruggeri handled trent alexander-arnold’s cross.
the right-back had the time and space to find andy robertson with a raking pass and the Scotland captain crossed from the right.
ruggeri appeared to handle in the box and, after Var had it confirmed, Salah dispatched the seventh-minute spot-kick.
Dom Szoboszlai warmed Juan Musso’s hands with a drive before Berat gjimshiti cut out the danger when Cody gakpo combined with Salah to play in Luis Diaz.
atalanta posed a threat on counter and aleksei Miranchuk dragged a shot wide before teun Koopmeiners had an effort disallowed for offside.
Salah should have added a second for the reds when he was played through by gakpo, but lifted the ball over Musso and well wide of goal.