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Jürgen Klopp had good reasons to be satisfied with his team
Photo: Peter Byrne / imago images / PA Images
You can still do it: In
2019 it was winning the Champions League, in 2020 a furious title in the Premier League that brought Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool FC recognition across Europe.
Then defense chief Virgil van Dijk injured himself, measured against the high demands on Anfield Road, the 2020/2021 season turned into an odyssey through mediocrity.
But Klopp seems to be on the best way to awaken the giant of yore: After just four match days, the Reds in Group B are certain as group winners, the processes on the offensive work like in the best days.
The result:
Liverpool FC won 2-0 (2-0) in front of their home crowd against Atlético Madrid.
Four games, twelve points - nothing more is possible.
The first half:
A duel on equal terms would not have been a surprise. Liverpool have known that Atlético is not a counter troupe since the knockout round of 16 against the Madrid team in 2020 at the latest. So the Reds decided not to let their opponents come into play in the first place: early pressure, direct combinations in depth, hits from Diogo Jota (13th) and Sadio Mané (21st) - Liverpool rolled over Atlético, who fought back with hands and feet. Only that so clumsily that Felipe flew off the pitch after being kicked in the calf by Mané (36th).
The thoroughbred preparer:
Trent Alexander-Arnold plays a strange role in English football. The right-back is only 23 years old, won major titles as a top performer with the Reds - and hardly gets a chance at the Three Lions, in more than three years there have only been 14 appearances for Alexander-Arnold in the national team. Against Atlético, the home-grown man delivered both assists, the second almost accidentally with a shot that crossed Mané's barrel. That is not in demand with Team England, where the full-back is mainly used for defensive stability. Alexander-Arnold is an important creative factor in Klopp's system and is approaching his top form.
Red déjà vu:
An early 2-0 for Liverpool FC, a dismissal for Atlético - that has happened before. In the history books you only have to turn back a page for this, it was only in the first leg that Antoine Griezmann fouled prematurely after a double for the Spaniards. Only: This time there was no Griezmann who could have brought Atlético back into the game. Not only did the Madrilenians make their lives more difficult with Felipe's dismissal, until then there had been no shot at Alisson Becker's goal. Nobody should follow either.
The second half:
What followed instead was a power play by the Reds. Jota's goal after a nice interface pass from Joel Matip didn't count because of an offside position (48th), Mohamed Salah's great chances from close range and Matip after a corner somehow found their way past the goal (52nd). Jota also approached one more head (54th), before Liverpool loosened their grip on the decimated Spaniards' ailing 5-3-1 system.
Not quite like it was back then:
the leisurely coasting almost got its revenge. It hit someone who had already been able to practice scoring goals on Anfield between 2011 and 2014 extensively: Luis Suárez's shot deflected by Matip caught Alisson on the wrong foot (57th). The ex-Liverpooler cheered only briefly: Due to an offside position, neither shot nor goal were included in the statistics, Atlético remained the defeated team.
Hands off:
After the final whistle, Atlético's coach Diego Simeone waived the obligatory handshake with his counterpart Klopp. That shouldn't be a deliberate affront, the hot spur had already emphasized on the Spanish champions' bench after the first leg. "In England they may see the handshake as a gesture of sportsmanship," Simeone had explained, "I don't see it that way." That has to do with the different emotions after the game, those of the winner and those of the loser. It can be assumed that Simeone is very reluctant to lose to Klopp, who has repeatedly emphasized that, with all due respect, he cannot win anything from Atlético football. Accordingly, the Liverpool coach had to resort to referee Danny Makkelie for a shake hand after the game.
