Sparkling Liverpool back in Champions League

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND » Juergen Klopp had just seen his Liverpool team slice open Hoffenheim to score a third goal in the opening 21 minutes when he turned to the celebrating Anfield crowd and roared: “That’s football!”

Liverpool returned to the Champions League group stage in some style on Wednesday.

With the attacking trio of Roberto Firmino, Mo Salah and Sadio Mane combining brilliantly, Liverpool beat Hoffenheim 4-2 with a devastating attacking display to seal a return to Europe’s elite club competition after a two-year absence.

The Reds advanced 6-3 on aggregate in the qualifying playoff and will be placed in the pot of third seeds in Thursday’s draw.

“The start of the game was like a thunderstorm,” Klopp said. “We were so dangerous, so clinical. We could have scored even more.”

Hoffenheim is playing in European competition for the first time in its history this season and was swept away on another atmospheric night at Anfield.

Emre Can scored goals either side of Salah’s tapin as Liverpool surged 3-0 ahead. The third goal was masterful, with Mane breaking clear, cutting inside and backheeling the ball to Firmino, whose cross to the far post was tucked home on the volley by Can.

“I think we’ve scored a few nice goals,” Klopp said of his nearly two years in charge, “but that was outstanding.”

With his team now needing five goals to progress, Hoffenheim’s 30-year-old coach, Julian Nagelsmann, threw on an extra attacker in the 24th minute and Mark Uth had an immediate impact, drilling a low shot into the corner four minutes later.

Neither defense covered itself in glory in the first half, and the goals kept coming after halftime. Jordan Henderson robbed Hoffenheim captain Kevin Vogt to run through on goal, before passing across for Firmino to slot into the bottom corner in the 63rd.

“He was impossible to defend,” Klopp said of Firmino, his deep-lying striker.

Sandro Wagner headed in a late goal for Hoffenheim.