Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp bemoaned how they gave up in the 5-2 battering they received from Real Madrid, despite the “perfect” start
Jurgen Klopp was frustrated with how his team let their “perfect” start to the match waste away and ended up losing control of the match at Anfield.
Klopp bemoans ‘passive’ Liverpool
Despite the 5-2 dismantling they received from Real Madrid, Jurgen Klopp thought his team had an “outstanding” start. However, he admitted that they lost the plot in the second half and were punished for it.
“The beginning was outstanding,” he told BT Sport. “It was us in a nutshell. It was perfect, exactly how we wanted to play, causing problems all over the place. A super intense start, 2-0 up. The whole first half was good beside the goals.
“We lost 5-2, we know that too, but there’s a lot from me to take from it as well.”
“After the first goal we became slightly passive higher up the pitch, we weren’t chasing them, and we had to chase them because this is a team that when you get passive, you get punished. The second goal is slapstick. It shouldn’t happen, can’t happen, 2-2.
“The first situation pretty much [after half-time] they played a long ball to Vinicius. I’m not sure if it’s a foul, but in the end [the referee] whistles it, and how we defend that is not OK. Then 3-2 and that doesn’t help against a team who are outstandingly good on the counter-attack.
“We couldn’t get back on track anymore. You need to play like the first half for the full 95 minutes. That’s possible, but you need momentum back. After the 3-2 goal, it was exactly the opposite.
“They became more confident and scored great goals. One was deflected, I think. That’s how it is. It’s a strange one. We lost 5-2, we know that too, but there’s a lot from me to take from it as well.”
The Reds will visit the enemy ground on March 15 when they play Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. Nothing short of a miracle will save the last year’s finalists from elimination.
