Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp said Liverpool will withstand another Roma recovery next week after seizing control of their Champions League semi-final with a brilliant performance illuminated by the “world class” Mohammad Salah.
The Egypt forward haunted his former club with two exquisite goals, taking his tally for the season to 43, and two assists as Liverpool swept into a 5-0 lead over Roma before conceding two late goals.
A 5-2 result means Roma must reprise their remarkable comeback against Barcelona in the quarter-finals to deny Liverpool a place in the Champions League final in Kiev on May 26. But Klopp, his mood soured by the probable loss of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for the rest of the season through injury, insisted his prolific, devastating team will be ready for a backlash at the Stadio Olimpico next Wednesday.
- Jurgen Klopp | Liverpool manager
“Since I arrived, Liverpool has always had to take the more difficult way but in the end Liverpool always succeeded and that’s what we have to do again,” Klopp said. “If one of my players doesn’t think Roma will try to come back, then he will not play.”
The Liverpool manager added: “The boys played a brilliant game over a very long period. Even the last minutes, when we conceded, Dejan Lovren was outstandingly good and this ball he misjudged — that is no problem if the full-back is in the right position. We made one mistake and the ref made one mistake and that was two goals for them. We take the penalty.
“We have to work again in Rome, that is no problem. There would have been work to do if we won 5-0 because Roma would do everything to strike back. What I learnt tonight is that we can win the second leg too. Roma need to score against us and we are not Barcelona. Barcelona is one of the two or three best teams in the world and won so many things in the last few years. We didn’t so we will fight with all we have for the result.”
Salah’s stunning display prompted Steven Gerrard to say of the PFA player of the year: “Without a shadow of a doubt he is the best player on the planet right now.”
Klopp was more circumspect, saying that mantle had to be earned over a longer period than one season but has no doubt of the former Roma player’s credentials.
“Outstanding, pretty much not able to defend,” said Klopp, who substituted Salah at 5-0 and saw Liverpool’s performance dip markedly. “The first 15 minutes we needed to adapt to their formation and then we played how we played and he has a massive impact on that. The first goal is just a genius strike, he scored already a few like this which makes clear it is no coincidence. The second is brilliant play, Bobby Firmino between the lines and he makes the pass and then Mo makes the other two goals.
“If anyone wants to say it is my mistake that we concede the two goals because I change the striker, I have no problem with that. Mo was running all the time and it would not have helped us if he gets an injury. What a player. If you think he is the best in the world, write it or say it. He is in outstandingly good shape, world-class shape, but to be the best in the world you need to do it over a longer period, I think. The other two are not bad.”
Eusebio Di Francesco said memories of the three-goal comeback against Barcelona would give Roma hope for the second leg.
“Let me remind you once again the tie is not over, and we have proved it,” the manager said. “We have shown we can come back. We scored three goals at home against Barcelona, so we can do it. If any of my players does not believe we can win, they can stay away from the second leg.”
