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Tag Liverpool2019/2020 UEFA Champions League

  • Mar, Thu, 2020
Sport

Liverpool knocked out of UEFA Champions League by Atletico Madrid’s extra-time triple

Extra-time
Liverpool (UK), March 12, 2020 (Reuters/NAN) Holders Liverpool crashed out of the UEFA Champions League in the last 16 round on Wednesday after Atletico Madrid struck three times in extra time.

The Spanish side earned a shock 3-2 victory at Anfield to go through 4-2 on aggregate, after having won the first leg 1-0 at home about two weeks earlier.

After falling 2-0 down on the night, substitute Marcos Llorente struck twice in extra time.

Alvaro Morata added a late third to ensure a famous victory for Diego Simeone’s side against a Liverpool team unbeaten in their last 25 home games in European competition.

Liverpool broke through two minutes before half-time when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain burst to the byline.

He pulled back a cross to Georginio Wijnaldum who powered an angled header into the bottom corner.

After the interval, Liverpool peppered Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak but the Spaniards survived.

They almost pulled off a last-minute shock when a header from Saul Niguez was ruled out for offside.

Liverpool took the lead in the tie four minutes into extra-time, with Roberto Firmino heading against the post and then driving home the loose ball.

Yet then it all went wrong for Juergen Klopp’s side —– a dreadful pass out from goalkeeper Adrian straight to Joao Felix, gifted Atletico the ball.

Llorente punished the Liverpool goalkeeper for his error with a precise shot into the far corner.

Llorente then produced a carbon copy finish as Liverpool’s defence backed off following good work on the counter from Morata.

This effectively ended Liverpool’s hopes of defending their European crown.

Morata put the icing on the cake in the final moments after a breakaway.(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

  • Feb, Wed, 2020
Sport

Atletico Madrid edge Liverpool after vintage defensive display

Display
Madrid, Feb. 19, 2020 (Reuters/NAN) UEFA Champions League holders Liverpool will need to summon another famous European comeback at Anfield next month after they were beaten 0-1 away to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

Spain midfielder Saul Niguez struck the only goal of their last 16 first leg game in the fourth minute by bundling into the net from close range following a corner kick.

It was their traditional weapon of choice in recent years.

Liverpool have won 25 of 26 English Premier League (EPL) games this season and are on course for a record-smashing title win.

But they missed a series of chances to equalise in the second half, with Mohamed Salah and team captain Jordan Henderson coming closest to scoring.

Juergen Klopp’s side play at home to Atletico Madrid on March 11 in the return leg at Anfield.

That was where they produced an incredible 4-0 win over FC Barcelona in last year’s semi-final second leg fixture after losing the first match 3-0.

Atletico Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, Tuesday’s venue, was however the scene of Liverpool’s 2-0 triumph over Tottenham Hotspur in last year’s final.

But they faced a very different type of atmosphere this time around.

Clouds of billowing red smoke greeted the Atletico Madrid bus when it arrived at the ground as the home supporters stoked up a scorching atmosphere throughout the game.

It helped to give their side a lift in the middle of their worst season in recent memory.

Diego Simeone’s men have looked nothing like the sides which reached the 2014 and 2016 Champions League finals.

The Argentine manager’s side had not challenged Real Madrid and FC Barcelona’s duopoly of La Liga for most of this campaign.

Now they trail league leaders Real Madrid by 13 points.

But on Tuesday they produced a vintage defensive display.

They sat deep and barely gave Liverpool any space for their attacking trident of Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane to work their usual magic.

Mane was fortunate not to be sent off late in the first half after clashing with Sime Vrsaljko while on a yellow card.

He was swiftly substituted by Klopp for Divock Origi, who scored the second goal in last year’s final.

The Senegalese caused little disquiet to Atletico Madrid’s towering defenders, yet Salah should have levelled with a header which went wide of the near post.

Henderson also narrowly missed the target from inside the area later on.(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Liverpool end away jinx but Klopp didn’t enjoy win in Genk

Liverpool
Genk (Belgium), Oct. 24, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Liverpool produced a devastating attacking display to beat Racing Genk 4-1 in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday but manager Juergen Klopp said he had not enjoyed it.

Two goals, the second a beauty, by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, playing in his first game in the competition for 18 months, and silky strikes from Sadio Mane and Mo Salah gave the scoreline a convincing enough look.

Yet there were moments of unease for the European champions as they won away in the group phase for the first time in two years.

Genk were unfortunate to have a Mbwana Samatta effort ruled out in the first half and spurned several other chances to equalise before Liverpool took charge.

Such are the standards that Klopp has now set, however, that he was not entirely impressed in spite of his side moving second in Group E with six points, one behind Napoli.

“I didn’t enjoy the game too much, but I enjoyed the result a lot,” said Klopp, whose side’s 17-match winning streak in the Premier League ended in a 1-1 draw at Manchester United on Sunday.

“We’ve had two away games that were both difficult for different reasons. I don’t know where we are at the moment. I know where we have to be on Sunday (against Tottenham Hotspur).

“There were good moments. We started well but lost a lot of easy balls, unexpected balls. Of course, those are the most difficult to defend against. Our first goal was brilliant — all four goals were brilliant.”

Klopp has an embarrassment of attacking riches with Oxlade-Chamberlain’s return yet another option.

He struck a clinical opener after two minutes and his 57th-minute goal to double his side’s lead, a non-chalant clipped effort with the outside of his right foot, was a gem.

It was Liverpool’s 200th Champions League goal but even Oxlade-Chamberlain got a “can do better” report.

“Ox was like the game was. The goals were brilliant, but he can do much better and he knows that,” the German said.

“He’s had a lot of time out and he lacked a bit of rhythm in some moments, but the goals were lovely. It was a big step.”

Liverpool have now won 25 of their last 30 matches in all competitions.

The way they made a potentially tricky night into a relatively smooth one was a sign of the confidence and winning mentality now ingrained in the squad.

“In the years before we would have drawn it, maybe even lost, but it’s all OK. It was intense, we needed concentration,” Klopp added. (Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)