Liverpool failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the Champions League as Real Madrid beat them 3-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.
The Reds were really poor in the first leg which allowed Madrid to bring a two-goal lead to Anfield this week. And this was more than enough for Zidane’s men to hold onto boosting by Liverpool’s failure to breach their defence on Wednesday.
Liverpool made a really positive start to the match and overall, they were the much better side on the pitch in the second leg. But they missed a couple of great chances to put the ball into the back of the net and according to James Milner, this is what proved to be the turning point.
The midfielder told the press after the match: “We wanted to come out of the blocks and make sure they had no time on the ball, and set that tempo and intensity.
“I think that carried through then from early on and maybe with a few of the substitutions – sometimes you lose your way a bit for a few minutes until the guys get into the game, maybe that cost us a few minutes of time, but we came again and had chances once the boys come on and felt the tempo of the game.
“It’s disappointing, a disappointing way to end obviously, because if we’d have played the first leg with that same intensity I’m sure it could have been a different story.
“The positive is that we’re creating them [chances], especially against a team like this, and the reaction we showed after the first leg. We have done enough tonight to go through, I believe that with the chances we had.
“We were obviously the better team. Ali’s made a good save as well, which you’re going to expect, but we did enough to win the game and do what we needed to do. But if you don’t take your chances… and you only need that first one, if you get the first one then obviously it changes the game again but if you don’t take your chances then you’re not going to go through.”
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In the first leg, Liverpool were all over the place as they managed only a single shot on target. But they really upped their game at Anfield, trying a total of 15 shots during the match.
Liverpool should have scored at least two goals on the night but in general, they looked really clueless once the ball reached the final third and this is not the first time that Klopp’s men have been devoid of ideas in front of the opponents’ goal this season.
Players like James Milner and Mo Salah had some pretty fine efforts but they failed to convert which in turn, helped Real Madrid become a much more cohesive unit as the match progressed.
