Jurgen Klopp branded Liverpool’s humbling home defeat to Atalanta a “bad performance” and a “really bad game”.
Former West Ham United striker Gianluca Scamacca struck twice for the Italian visitors before Mario Pasalic added a third to wrap up a stunning night on Merseyside.
Unless Liverpool can emphatically overturn the three-goal deficit in Italy next week to reach the semi-finals, Klopp’s final European match at Anfield will have ended in a dismal defeat.
“Unfortunately there’s nothing really positive to say about the game,” the Liverpool boss told TNT Sports in an honest reflection of his side’s performance.
“The start was good, and we were unlucky with how they scored and maybe that period but they 100% deserved to go 1-0 up, they had other good moments.
“But from a specific moment – and I don’t know the exact minute – there was nothing positive to say. It just became a really bad game.”
Despite the loss which has given Atalanta a monumental boost going into the second leg, Klopp still feels there is a chance for his side.
“It must feel really, really bad,” he added. “It’s important, we played a bad game, that was a bad performance, that’s how it is and that’s why we lost.
“Bergamo [Atalanta] is practically through, but as soon as the [second leg] comes they will realise they are not through and we have to play another game and we get another chance.”
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said there were “too many individual mistakes” from his side that led to them being punished.
“With the man-marking system they do, we have to do much better and when we have the ball, have to keep the ball longer and be stronger,” Van Dijk told TNT Sports.
“Obviously they won those 50-50 challenges most of the time, then the spaces were open. They punished us immediately and that’s what happens, a very disappointing match for all of us.
“But we can’t dwell on it too long, as in two days we play again in a very big game here.
“We’ll hurt tonight and from tomorrow we have to switch it back on to get a result.”
Like Klopp, Van Dijk knows that Liverpool travel to the Gewiss Stadium next week as the underdogs, but remains hopeful that his team can qualify for the last four.
“If you don’t believe there’s no point going to Italy,” Van Dijk said. “Obviously, we make it very hard for ourselves going there 3-0 down.
“But like I said we have to focus on ourselves, on Crystal Palace, bounce back and the only way to do it is winning that game on the weekend.
“We need everyone to switch it back on and then we’ll focus on hopefully pulling out at least four goals over there.”
Liverpool play Crystal Palace at home in the Premier League on Sunday.
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