“I’m proud because the lads did a very good job,” the Liverpool manager told RTL after the 0-1 Europa League quarter-final second leg win over Atalanta, which wasn’t enough to erase the 0-3 defeat the week before.
“It wasn’t enough,” said Klopp, who will leave the Reds this summer after nine years in charge. “But it’s not because of this game, it’s because of what we did last week. We tried, we won here, but Atalanta deserved it. Anyone who beats us 0-3 at home deserves to go through.”
Klopp emphasised his team’s excellent performance in the first half, praising the players’ determination and desire. However, he pointed out that there were failures to capitalise on opportunities and to create enough attacking play. He mentioned that the team felt exhausted, especially considering it was mid-April.
Despite the Europa League exit, Klopp sees the Premier League as an opportunity to win the title. Liverpool are currently third in the table, just two points behind leaders Manchester City. Klopp expressed his determination to focus on the Premier League and to do his best, even with consecutive games every three days.
Klopp concluded by saying that the plan now is to reflect on the lessons learnt during this phase and use that experience to improve in the future.
