Liverpool could not conjure up another remarkable comeback when they needed it most as their 1-0 victory over Atalanta in Bergamo failed to salvage their Europa League hopes.
Mohamed Salah’s early penalty raised hopes all the pre-match reminiscence of the famous 4-0 against Barcelona in the 2019 Champions League semi-final would be replayed but their continued struggles in front of goal saw them exit 3-1 on aggregate.
Jurgen Klopp’s first season ended with defeat in the final of this competition and his last also culminated in more disappointment – the only major trophy he has not won in his nine years at Anfield.
We exit the #UEL. pic.twitter.com/lwNWBkNnV3
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 18, 2024
His greater frustration will be the manner in which his side threw things away a week ago to make the prospect of bouncing back, without the power of Anfield as they had five years ago, a more remote possibility.
Klopp had urged his players, as he had against Barcelona, to “fail in the most beautiful way” and while some of their play in the opening 45 minutes – driven by a resurgent Trent Alexander-Arnold – was scintillating it brought only one goal.
Now Liverpool have just six games in the Premier League, trailing Manchester City by two points, in which to ensure their beloved manager does not leave with only the Carabao Cup from a season which teased a quadruple only a month ago.
On the positive side having Alexander-Arnold will help on that front and it is unlikely Atalanta had experienced anything like what he produced particularly in the first half.
Perhaps not surprisingly for a team entering the last-chance saloon, Liverpool set off at a rapid pace but it was not so much the intensity of their approach but the whirlwind they generated with the perpetual motion.
With Alexander-Arnold making his first start since mid-February after injury the team dynamic changed dramatically as the defender was given licence to roam and create.
However, it was from more orthodox right side from which he won the penalty with a cross which hit the arm of Matteo Ruggeri after Luis Diaz had raced down the left and cut inside.
After the inevitable VAR check Salah stepped up to send goalkeeper Juan Musso the wrong way – and in a nice piece of symmetry in the same seventh minute in which Divock Origi sparked the comeback against Barca.
Unfortunately that is where the similarities ended as Musso was more alert to smother Diaz before he could get a shot off from Cody Gakpo’s one-move turn and pass.
The movement from the players was dizzying at times as the fluid switching of positions regularly saw Salah playing deeper and more central with Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson both popping up in the centre-forward role – when the former was not dictating play from deep or the latter was playing as a left-winger.
Salah has been well below his best since his own return from injury in February and he never looked comfortable when put clean through by Gakpo, playing a key part in the continuing the merry-go-round, and his lob over Musso never looked like troubling the goal.
The hosts had taken a good 25 minutes to get to grips with the maelstrom which threatened to engulf them but Aleksei Miranchuk scuffed wide their only shot of the half with an offside flag denying Teun Koopmeiners.
We have three of our semi-finalists… 🥳
Roma, Atalanta and Leverkusen all progress 👏#UEL pic.twitter.com/odR0h25hc9
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) April 18, 2024
Atalanta centre-back Isak Hien was perhaps fortunate to only be booked for deliberate handball to stop Diaz running through onto Salah’s pass shortly before half-time and the interval offered them some respite.
They actually had the better chances of the second half, Ederson and Koopmeiners both shooting straight at Alisson Becker.
With 25 minutes to go, Klopp gambled and introduced Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez but the fluency of the first half had already disappeared and the changes only compounded that.
Niclas Fullkrug’s stunning finish gave Borussia Dortmund the edge in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Paris St Germain.Fullkrug pounced in the 35th minute to seal a 1-0 victory but an end-to-end clash at Signal Iduna Park could have been snatched by either team with chances arriving thick and fast in a furious second half.Jadon Sancho, on loan from Manchester United...
Let's start our 7M Daily Laugh today. PSG run into a yellow wall as Dortmund win the first leg 1-0 to inch toward the Champions League final Erik ten Hag watching Jadon Sancho cook PSG in a Champions League semifinal Past, present and future, Toni Kroos is always pulling the strings Leicester city last Season and this season Ben White this Season Barca fans watching PSG lose to Dortmund D...
Saudi Arabian club Al-Qadsiah are keen on signing Liverpool captain Virgil Van Dijk as the Dutch defender's contract at Anfield expires in 2025. That is according to Sports Zone, who report the Saudis' interest in the centre-back and have made a fantastic offer for the 32-year-old.The Middle Eastern outfit are currently top of the Saudi second division and will compete in the Saudi Pro League next...
Cristiano Ronaldo netted a brace as Al-Nassr beat Al-Khaleej 3-1 to reach the final of the King Cup of Champions on Wednesday.TELL ME MORENassr and Khaleej met in the semi-final of the King Cup of Champions on Wednesday and, once again, Ronaldo was central to his side's success, scoring twice to end a mini goal-drought of two games.Khaleej had a fine chance to open the scoring but a free header wa...
Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi is being considered by AC Milan.Milan are expected to split from coach Stefano Pioli at the end of the season.Talks with former Wolves and Spain manager Julen Lopetegui have been held, which has produced a backlash from Milan fans.Now Milan are turning to De Zerbi, says TMW, with talks planned in the coming weeks.And key to the deal could be De Zerbi's ties with the ...
Man United plan to sell controversial star Mason Greenwood this summer and the Premier League club have set a £40m price tag ahead of the upcoming transfer window.Fabrizio Romano reported this week that Man United are yet to make a decision on what to do with Greenwood for the 2024/25 campaign, with one set to arrive once the season concludes.However, the Manchester club's position is still t...
Bruno Fernandes has said he will consider his future at Manchester United, but not until after this summer's European Championship with Portugal.The United captain insists he is fully focused on the FA Cup Final against Manchester City on May 25 and competing at the Euros in Germany.Amid media speculation that he could leave United, when asked about his future, Fernandes, 29, told Dazn Portugal: "...
Jurgen Klopp has been tipped for a sensational return to Borussia Dortmund ahead of his imminent exit from Liverpool.WHAT HAPPENED?With Klopp stepping down as Liverpool manager at the end of the season, due to "running out of energy", questions have been raised over what the German will do after that, though he has vowed to take a year away from the game. Now, according to The Independent, rumours...
Barcelona have given centre-back Ronald Araujo a deadline to sort out his future.The Uruguayan is one of the high profile players the Catalan giants may have to sell.Per Sport in Spain, the 25-year-old has been informed that he has a month to decide if he wants to stay or go.Araujo, who has a contract offer from Manchester United, can either renew his deal or be sold for a high fee this summer.His...
Chelsea could be about to re-appoint Antonio Conte as manager at Stamford Bridge, six years after his explosive exit from the club.The Italian took over in west London in 2016, guiding the Blues to a title in his first campaign before the FA Cup a year later. Failure to qualify for the Champions League in his sophomore season resulted in an acrimonious exit from the capital, before he returned in ...
- 1 Transfer news & rumours LIVE
- 2 Pep Guardiola urges Manchester City to remain focused for title run-in
- 3 Bristol City boss Liam Manning sees plenty to be positive about
- 4 7M Daily Laugh - Top 3 EPL & week 35
- 5 Chelsea star “waiting to see” options
- 6 Inside Jack Grealish and Sasha Attwood's sponsorships
- 7 Man United star on the “hunt for new club”
- 8 Pete Wild proud but frustrated as Barrow edged out of play-offs
- 9 Bournemouth brush aside Brighton to move into Premier League top half
- 10 Taylor Ward prepared for her third wedding with Riyad Mahrez