Jurgen Klopp wanted to focus on the positives following Liverpool’s elimination from the Europa League on Thursday, highlighting the importance of “getting back to winning ways” despite suffering a 3-1 aggregate defeat against Atalanta.
Admitting their shock 3-0 first leg defeat at Anfield was a “huge obstacle” to overcome, Klopp praised his team’s “desire and power” after Mohamed Salah’s penalty gave the Reds a 1-0 win on the night in Bergamo.
Like Premier League title rivals Arsenal and Manchester City, who were also knocked out of Europe following Champions League defeats to Bayern Munich and Real Madrid respectively on Wednesday, Liverpool will now focus in their final six league games of the season in an effort to produce a fairytale Final for Klopp, who will leave Anfield in the summer.
The Reds’ exit meant that, for the third time in the 21st century, England had no teams in the semi-finals of the Champions League or Europa League/UEFA Cup.
“It was clear that we had set ourselves a big obstacle,” the German told TNT Sports after crashing out of Europe. ‘I really liked tonight’s game with the desire and power the boys showed. “It was incredible of them.”
Jürgen Klopp wanted to focus on the positive after Liverpool’s exit from the Europa League
The Reds, photographed dejected at the end of the match, failed to overturn a 3-0 deficit from the first leg against Atalanta, but still won the first leg 1-0 thanks to a Mo Salah penalty in the first half .
The Egyptian star scored from the penalty spot as Liverpool made the perfect start in Bergamo.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, who had just returned from injury, was drafted in to start in Italy as cover for Conor Bradley, who suffered an ankle problem during Liverpool’s loss to Crystal Palace.
Klopp admitted it was “crazy” the England international was even on the pitch given his recent injury problems, claiming the match could have gone differently if he was fully fit and firing.
‘It was really complicated and we rushed too much at times. If Trent Alexander-Arnold had been a little fitter we might have lasted a little longer, but it’s crazy he played! In the end he ran out of gas,” Klopp added.
‘We won the game and that was the reaction we wanted to show. It was difficult and we knew it would be, but they deserve to pass 100%.
“We have to focus on the league and that is exactly what we will do from now on. Tonight we won the game, so we win again. We have a few days of recovery to face Fulham again. It will be a different but complicated game” .
‘They are mixed emotions. We are eliminated but I am happy with the match. We would have liked to have been able to go to Dublin, but that hasn’t happened.
“Now we have one competition left and we will throw ourselves into it completely.”
Klopp said it was “crazy” that Trent Alexander-Arnold (left) managed to play for so long after recently returning from injury, quickly withdrawn due to Conor Bradley’s ankle problem.
Gian Piero Gasperini roared in celebration of a job well done as his Atalanta team progressed.
Despite scoring Liverpool’s winning penalty, Salah uncharacteristically squandered a catalog of important opportunities during the match.
Since returning from injury, the Egyptian has been far from his clinical best, despite scoring six goals in 11 games, two of them from the penalty spot.
Asked if Salah was having a poor scoring streak at the worst time, Klopp said: “I’m not particularly worried.” That’s what strikers do. That’s how it is. We have to go through that, he has to go through that.
“He’s one of the most experienced players on the team. That’s pretty much it.
‘It’s not that Mo hasn’t missed opportunities before in his life, that’s part of the game. The penalty was super convincing, a super penalty and then the next chance was unfortunate, but it’s not the first time he’s missed chances like that.
I won’t make a big story about it. I’m not particularly worried.’
Virgil van Dijk applauds traveling fans after Liverpool’s elimination from the Europa League
Klopp said he is not “particularly worried” about Salah’s poor form in front of goal.
The Reds will prepare to face Fulham at the weekend, level on points with Arsenal in second place and two points behind league leaders Manchester City.
Although all of their remaining matches are must-win matches, Liverpool’s title challenge could end without maximum points in their next three against Fulham, Everton and West Ham, with Klopp’s side set to take on chasing four Tottenham and Aston Villa in two of their last three games of the season.