Liverpool are out of the Champions League after a 3-2 defeat to Atletico Madrid, leaving the champions knocked out of the last 16, 4-2 on aggregate.
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Liverpool 2-3 Atletico Madrid (Agg 2-4)
Champions League Last 16 Second Leg, Anfield
March 11, 2020
Goals: Wijnaldum 43′, Firmino 94′; Llorente 97′ 105′, Morata 120′
Liverpool’s reign as European champions is over, after Atletico Madrid produced a comeback in extra time to win at Anfield over 120 minutes.
The Reds came into the game trailing by a goal after the first leg in Madrid and set about getting back into the tie with a positive approach and lineup.
Jordan Henderson was restored after injury, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gini Wijnaldum were ahead of him in midfield; the defensive and attacking lines were as expected, plus Adrian in goal due to Alisson‘s injury.
Liverpool created several chances of note, but it was just before half-time when the deadlock was finally broken.
Oxlade-Chamberlain produced a great cross from the right, with Wijnaldum rising unmarked in the centre to head home the equaliser on aggregate.
Andy Robertson had the best chance to win it in 90 minutes, hitting the bar from close range, but Sadio Mane, Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino all had sights of goal too.
With the game going to extra time, the Reds gathered their force and went again, with Firmino almost immediately scoring the goal to put Liverpool ahead in the tie for the first time.
Wijnaldum’s cross found him, the Brazilian hit the post with his header—but scored the rebound for his first Anfield goal of the campaign.
With that scoreline the Reds were going through, but a quickfire brace for Atleti sub Marcos Llorente silenced the home crowd.
An Adrian error led to the first, before hesitant defending saw him drill in a similar second, and it proved too much for the Reds to come back from this time, even before Alvaro Morata’s last-second clincher.
The Champions League adventure is over, and Liverpool will have to be content with finishing off a first domestic league title in 30 years in addition to being UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup champions.
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