Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has refused to blame Adrian for Liverpool’s loss against Atletico Madrid but admitted the goalkeeper’s mistake had a “big impact” on the result of the game.
Liverpool’s Champions League defence came to an excruciating end on Wednesday night at Anfield after a 3-2 extra-time loss which sealed a 4-2 aggregate success for Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid.
The Premier League champions-elect appeared on track for securing the quarter-finals berth after goals from Georginio Wijnaldum and Roberto Firmino, only for a poor clearance from Adrian which to lead to Marcos Llorente’s vital away goal for Atletico.
Llorente then added a second before Alvaro Morata’s late finish sealed the tie as Liverpool were beaten at home in the Champions League for the first time ever since 2014.
Despite Adrian’s mistake for the first goal, Klopp was unwilling to blame the Spanish shot-stopper but said the 33-year-old was aware of his error at such an important stage of the game.
The 52-year-old Liverpool boss explained that Adrian will not be blamed for the Champions League exit, at the hands of Atletico Madrid “He’s a man and he knows that’s how it is, We will not blame him for a second – what you do, I don’t know, but stay respectful, that would be really nice because he didn’t want to do that, he saved us in so many moments when he played. Since he’s here, he had super performances.”
Alisson Becker’s hip injury meant that Adrian had to deputize and the veteran goalkeeper proved to make the costliest mistake which eventually dumped Liverpool out of the Champions League.
