Barcelona beat Liverpool 3-0 in Champions League semi-final first leg at Nou Camp
Thursday 2 May 2019 12:04, UK
As Liverpool pushed for an equaliser, a double blow from Lionel Messi made them pay on Wednesday night. It was a brutal lesson from Barcelona, but one which Jurgen Klopp is determined to learn from, writes Michael Hincks from the Nou Camp.
"I will use that game forever," said Klopp after Liverpool's 3-0 Champions League semi-final first-leg defeat at Barcelona.
Down, and arguably out, Klopp believed he witnessed his side's best performance in Europe in the last two seasons, but they ultimately left the Nou Camp empty-handed going into next week's return leg at Anfield.
At 1-0 down, after Luis Suarez scored his first Champions League goal of the season and showed no hesitation in celebrating against his former side, Liverpool began to flex their muscles, taking the game to Barcelona as they endeavoured to find that valuable away goal.
But they simply could not find a way through. Rather, they could not find a way past Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who twice denied James Milner either side of batting away Mohamed Salah's low strike.
As Liverpool attacked, Barcelona sat back, seemingly content with their one-goal advantage. "They don't look interested in adding to their tally here," the Sky Sports live blog read on 74 minutes, but just one minute later, that all changed as Messi rolled in Barcelona's second.
It was a cruel blow for Liverpool, but they were made to pay for switching off as Suarez's improvised shot hit the bar and flew into the air, with Messi reacting when their defenders did not.
"I don't know if we can play much better, to be honest, but then you have that one moment, the ball goes onto the crossbar and then it's a very easy goal," Klopp said afterwards.
Seven minutes later, there was little any Liverpool player could have done about Messi's majestic free-kick, with the Argentine scoring his 600th Barcelona goal in style.
Even as the Nou Camp bowed down to their favourite son, still Liverpool pressed on, but after Roberto Firmino's effort was cleared off the line by Gerard Pique, Mohamed Salah could only strike the woodwork from eight yards out. It could have been so different.
"Obviously this season is about close, tight decisions," said Klopp, referring not only to Salah's effort, but to John Stones' goal-line clearance when Liverpool faced title rivals Manchester City in January.
On such fine margins are trophies won and lost, and Liverpool now find themselves agonisingly behind both in the league and in Europe.
"But these boys never give up," added Klopp. "I love that. We have to use that game for a lot of things. In the moment, we just feel disappointed, but there will be a moment when I can convince the boys how important this game was for our development."
The focus now switches to Saturday, and an evening Premier League kick-off at Newcastle.
