'This Loss Doesn't Feel Right'- Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool
manager Jurgen Klopp says their Champions League last-16 defeat by Atletico
Madrid "doesn't feel right" and criticised the La Liga side's style
of play.
The European
champions' hopes of defending their title were ended by a 3-2 loss at Anfield on
Wednesday, with Atletico winning 4-2 on aggregate.
The Reds had
reached the final in the previous two seasons under the German.
Klopp
suggested Diego Simeone's Atletico do not play "proper football".
"I am
completely happy with the performance. It's so difficult to play a side like
this," Klopp told BT Sport, adding he was "searching for the right
words".
"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.
"We
accept it, of course, but it doesn't feel right tonight. 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.
"We
know in the past two years we had some lucky moments in the Champions League -
you have to to reach two finals - but today everything was against us in the
decisive moments."
Georginio
Wijnaldum's first-half header made it 1-1 on aggregate and Roberto Firmino gave
Liverpool the advantage early in extra time, but goalkeeper Adrian's error
allowed substitute Marcos Llorente to score a crucial away goal.
Llorente
scored again before Alvaro Morata added a third for Atletico in the dying
seconds.
Defeat was
Liverpool's fourth loss in six matches in all competitions, but they remain 25
points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Captain
Jordan Henderson said Wednesday's result was "disappointing" but
added the players would use it to end the season strongly.
"We put
everything into that game so we are bitterly disappointed, especially with the
goals we conceded," the 29-year-old England midfielder told BT Sport.
"All we
can focus on is our performance level, and to have conceded those goals isn't
like us. We're disappointed but we'll take it on the chin.
"For
the rest of today and tomorrow it won't feel nice, but we have to use it to
help us finish the season strong."
FROM .bbc.com/sport/football
No comments