A victory for honor: Liverpool beat Atalanta 1-0 on Thursday in Bergamo, but will not see the semi-finals of the Europa League after having compromised their chances from the first leg with a rout at home (3-0 ). Reds supporters, who came in large numbers to Lombardy, nevertheless believed their team capable of an incredible comeback.
It only took him seven minutes to take the lead thanks to a penalty from Mohamed Salah, following a handball from Matteo Ruggeri in his penalty area. In the process, Luis Diaz, perfectly launched by Cody Gakpo, appeared alone in front of Juan Musso, but the Atalanta goalkeeper won their duel.
After a hopeful first quarter of an hour, Liverpool, who had only won three of their previous nine matches in all competitions, fell into line. Atalanta almost equalized in the 19th minute through Aleksej Mirancuk, but it was Liverpool who finished the first period better with a scoring opportunity wasted by Salah (39th).
Returning from the locker room, Liverpool regained their seat at the Italian goal but without scoring despite the entry of Diogo Jota who had scored four goals against the same Atalanta during the group stage of the 2020-21 Champions League (5- 0). Jürgen Klopp's European career at the head of Liverpool therefore ended in Bergamo.
Klopp 'disappointed but not angry'
“We did not miss our qualification this evening, it was in the first leg that this confrontation was played out,” he noted. “I’m of course disappointed, but I’m not angry or frustrated. We must congratulate Atalanta, a team that wins 3-1 playing like that deserves to continue its journey,” added Klopp.
The German coach, who will leave the English club at the end of the season after nine years and notably a Champions League won in 2019, will have to pull off quite a magic trick to revive his team, third two points behind Manchester City, but which seems exhausted before the final sprint in the championship.
For its part, Atalanta will play a European semi-final for the second time in its history: in 1988, the “Dea” lost its double confrontation (2-1 on the first leg and the return leg) in the European Cup Winners' Cup. Cups (C2) against the Belgian club Malines.
Gian Piero Gasperini's team, which reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 2020, will face Marseille in the next round, having defeated Benfica on penalties (2-2 ap over the two matches). , 4 tab to 2). With the crazy hope of adding the C3 to his only trophy won so far, the 1963 Italian Cup, 61 years ago now.