"A massive difference" - Jurgen Klopp refuses to compare Liverpool's setback to Atalanta to Barcelona loss that led to iconic comeback
Jurgen Klopp has explained why Liverpool's defeat to Atalanta in the UEFA Europa League can't be compared to their loss against Barcelona five years ago.
The Reds trail the Serie A side 3-0 on aggregate in the quarterfinals after suffering a humbling defeat at Anfield (April 11). It was a rare poor performance from Klopp's men that put their hopes of winning the competition in major doubt.
Liverpool have staged many remarkable comebacks in their history including in the 2018-19 Champions League campaign. They suffered a 3-0 defeat to Barcelona at Camp Nou in the first leg of their semifinal tie.
However, the Merseysiders conjured up one of the most memorable turnarounds in European football history. They beat the Blaugrana 4-0 at Anfield and went on to win Europe's elite club competition.
Klopp was asked about the Barca comeback ahead of his side's encounter with Atalanta at Gewiss Stadium tomorrow (April 18). He didn't feel there were similarities regarding both first-leg defeats (via the club's official website):
"What is similar? The result, definitely. The performance, not really. We played at that time an exceptional game and lost 3-0 [in Barcelona] and nobody knew how. I think we shouldn't have lost the last game [against Atalanta] 3-0, but we were not as great as we were then in that game [in Barcelona]."
Klopp pointed out that Liverpool's loss to Barca was away from home rather than at home like the Atalanta setback:
"We lost at home [last week] and are now away, that’s a massive difference. It’s really not about comparing or whatever. We are here and will try to win the game tomorrow, that’s all - and I think that’s what we should do."
The Reds have alarmingly come off the boil at the business end of the season. Klopp's side followed up their defeat to Atalanta with a shock 1-0 Anfield loss to Crystal Palace in the league. This was the first time they'd suffered consecutive home defeats since May 2021.
Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold named Barcelona as his second favorite club
Trent Alexander-Arnold didn't appear in Liverpool's devastating defeat to Atalanta as he sat on the bench. The Reds' vice-captain has just recovered from a knee ligament injury.
However, Alexander-Arnold is back to full fitness as he appeared in the loss to Palace last weekend. He has excelled this season with his wide passing range, conjuring up nine assists and two goals in 30 games across competitions.
This could be partly down to his admiration for Barcelona which he revealed in 2020. The England international named the La Liga giants as his other favorite team in an interview with men's magazine British GQ:
"I’d say my favourite other team would be Barca. I feel as though they’ve got kind of the same values and beliefs as Liverpool, they like to bring players through the academy. I grew up watching Messi and that special Barcelona team, with (Andres) Iniesta, Xavi, (Thierry) Henry, (Samuel) Eto’o."
Alexander-Arnold played in the Merseysiders' famous comeback win against Barca in 2019. Lionel Messi was part of the Catalan side that crashed out of Europe's elite club competition.
However, Messi won four Champions League trophies during his time with Barca. He was a member of Pep Guardiola's treble-winning Blaugrana through 2008-12.