Adrian’s errors leave Liverpool seeing red
Kop that: Goalkeeper’s extra time shocker leaves champions crashing out of Europe
Anfield was rocking. Manager Jurgen Klopp was beating his chest and punching the air. Another famous comeback was on for Liverpool in football’s Champions League.
One error from their backup goalkeeper saw it all come crashing down.
When Adrian received the ball at his feet seven minutes into extra time, defending champions Liverpool had just gone 2-0 ahead on the night and 2-1 up on aggregate against Atletico Madrid in the round of 16. The Reds just needed to keep their composure to see the game through.
Instead, Adrian sidefooted a poor clearance along the ground and straight to Joao Felix, who set up substitute Marcos Llorente to score the crucial away goal that put Liverpool on the back foot for the first time.
Further goals from Llorente and Alvaro Morata — two former Real players — secured a 3-2 win for Atletico and a 4-2 win on aggregate.
“Conceding a goal is part of football and shouldn’t have a massive influence,” Klopp said of Adrian’s error. “But, in this moment, the momentum changed.”
The contrast in goalkeepers couldn’t have been starker at Anfield.
While Adrian — filling in for injured Brazil international Alisson Becker — proved to be the fall guy for Liverpool, Jan Oblak again showed why he is regarded as one of the world’s top goalkeepers by producing a series of great saves and blocks to take the game to extra time.
When Morata sealed progress for Atletico with the team’s third goal in stoppage time of extra time, manager Diego Simeone sprinted down the touchline, spread his arms out wide, and stuck out his chest in front of the celebrating visiting supporters.
His team, languishing in sixth place in La Liga, had just consigned Liverpool to a first loss in a European home game since October 2014 and completed the victory double over a team that has taken the English Premier League by storm this season.
While Liverpool will have to be content with a first English league championship in 30 years — the title could be sealed as early as next week — Atletico will continue, somewhat against the odds, their bid for a first Champions League title.
They were a runners-up in 2014 and 2016, also under Simeone, and again he will rely on Oblak and the team’s obdurate defence to take Atletico all the way this season.
Klopp didn’t hide his sourness at Atletico’s approach over the two legs.
“I don’t understand, with the quality they have, the football they play,” Klopp said. “They could play proper football but they stand deep and have counter-attacks.
“We accept it, of course, but it doesn’t feel right tonight.”
Atletico’s famed defence put in another obdurate display until Georginio Wijnaldum’s goal just before halftime that made it 1-1 on aggregate. Alex OxladeChamberlain did his best impersonation of teammate and right back Trent Alexander-Arnold by whipping in a brilliant cross from the byline and Wijnaldum was unmarked as he headed downward and into the far corner.
The second half was spent almost entirely in Atletico’s half and it felt like a matter of when Liverpool would get their second goal as they attacked the Kop end.
But Adrian’s error sparked Atletico’s players.
Then Llorente scored his second on the counterattack in the 105th minute and Morata clinched victory.
It was Liverpool’s first loss over two legs under Klopp, and Liverpool won’t be in a third straight final.
“For 21⁄ 2- years, we had an exceptional ride in the Champions League. Party after party after party,” Klopp said. “But now it’s over.”