Champions League: Klopp says it is already over, Ancelotti says it is not

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp’s gut feeling is that Liverpool’s Champions League dreams are over for this season after their defeat by Real Madrid.

They suffered their worst home defeat in Europe as they capitulated to concede five goals for the first time in a European fixture at Anfield, despite taking a two-goal lead after 14 minutes.

Carlo Ancelotti said that the tie is not over, despite his side taking a three-goal lead into the second leg in three weeks’ time, but Klopp did not agree.

“I think Carlo thinks the tie is over and I think it is as well at this moment, although the closer the game gets the bigger the chance comes,” the Liverpool manager said. “We have to score three, that will be tricky.

“We will go there and try to win the game. If that’s possible or not, I don’t know now, but we will try.”

Goals from Darwin Núñez and Mohamed Salah had appeared to put Klopp’s side on course for a memorable victory over the reigning European champions in the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie. But, echoing a theme from their triumph last season, Real refused to panic and they then responded impressively.

Ancelotti said that he had used memories of their dramatic semi-final comeback against Manchester City last season as motivation to stay calm and that he had always believed that his side had what it took to get the victory.

 “I remembered the Man City game and we improved in that game and I was hoping that the same thing might happen and we’ve done even better than that,” the Italian said.

Helped considerably by the defensive frailties that have been a constant for Liverpool this season, Ancelotti’s team were level by the 36th minute, thanks to a couple of goals from the impressive Vinícius Junior. They then put the tie beyond any real doubt with three second-half goals, two from Karim Benzema and another one from Éder Militão.

Three goals down with 23 minutes remaining, the home side rarely threatened to reduce the deficit.

Asked if Vinícius is one of the best players in the world right now, Klopp had a one-word answer. “Yes,” was his reply.

Ancelotti was more effusive in his praise of the 22-year old. “Vinícius right now is the most decisive player in world football, the man who can make the most difference,” the Real manager said.

But despite Real’s undoubted class they were aided by Liverpool’s poor defending and what Klopp described as a “slapstick” second goal. When Real’s third went in, the Premier League side stood still in their own area and they never recovered.

Regardless of their heavy defeat, Klopp was adamant their season would not be derailed after they had just got back to winning ways in the league following a terrible run in January. “I told the boys the result was the opposite of what we wanted but a defeat is a defeat, if you don’t learn from it, and if you don’t learn the start was outstanding and was us in a nutshell so if we allow this one game to be influential we are really silly,” he said.

“We have a few days when I make sure we take the right things. Yes we have a few things to improve, third goal, massively, first goal massively. But the intensity; the effort; the football was like everything we want so we have to make sure we keep that; 5-2 could be damaging but I have to make sure that is not happening. We have to take the good things as well; that would be horrible if we didn’t.”

Liverpool travel to Crystal Palace on Saturday evening for their next Premier League game.