No surprises there! Liverpool out of Europa!

19/04/2024

In the Europa League quarterfinals, Liverpool suffered a devastating 0-3 defeat at home to Atalanta in the first leg, sealing their fate for elimination.

In the second leg, despite Liverpool's efforts away from home, they couldn't secure a significant victory, only managing a narrow 1-0 win against Atalanta. 

Liverpool out from Europa League!

The aggregate score of 1-3 led to a dismal exit for Liverpool.

With a squad value of €920 million, Liverpool stands out in the Europa League, but their overall performance has been lacking, compounded by Klopp's announcement of his departure at the end of the season, resulting in unstable morale and form for the team.

Facing Atalanta, Liverpool's style of play was restricted. Under Klopp's management, Liverpool excels in open games, favoring an attacking approach and quick counter-attacks. 

2nd league

However, Atalanta opted for tight defense and counter-attacking opportunities, leading to a significant decrease in Liverpool's attacking efficiency.

In the first leg, Liverpool had a 70% possession rate but trailed Atalanta in shots, with 19 attempts to 11, and shots on target, with 5 compared to Atalanta's 7, resulting in a humiliating 0-3 defeat.

Atalanta defeats Liverpool with three goals in the first leg

In the second leg, Liverpool maintained a 70% possession rate, with 10 shots compared to Atalanta's 8, and 5 shots on target compared to Atalanta's 2, securing a 1-0 victory.

Liverpool's only goal came from Salah's penalty in the 7th minute, created by Alexander-Arnold. 

Salah scored penalty!

Salah had the opportunity to help Liverpool lead 2-0 in the first half but missed a clear chance in the 40th minute.

In addition to Liverpool's unexpected elimination, another top contender, AC Milan, also failed to advance. 

Europa League semi finalist

The Europa League semi-finalists are now locked in as Marseille, Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, and Roma.

This marks a nine-year low for the Premier League, as it's the first time since the 2014/15 season that no English team has reached the semi-finals of the Champions League or Europa League.

Klopp feel satisfaction about the result

After the match, Liverpool manager Klopp admitted Atalanta deserved to progress and acknowledged the team's inability to maintain a high-intensity rhythm for 90 minutes, resulting in inconsistent performances between the first and second halves.

Regarding the 1-0 result away from home, Klopp expressed satisfaction and emphasized the team's commitment to performing well in the league. 

Liverpool can fully concentrated in Premier League

Currently, Liverpool sits third in the Premier League standings with 71 points, trailing behind Manchester City with 73 points and Arsenal with 72 points, still with a chance to compete for the title.