Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp admitted his team became nervous after they lost the Europa league final 3-1 to Sevilla on Wednesday.
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Daniel Sturridge’s exquisite first half goal would have been worthy of winning any UEFA showpiece but Jurgen Klopp’s side failed to capitalise and went to pieces in the second half.
While next season will not see Liverpool return to the European stage after their eighth-place Premier League finish, Klopp believes this could give his side an edge on the domestic front.
Liverpool, who also lost in this season’s League Cup final to Manchester City, walk away with nothing.
Unlike Real Madrid and Barcelona, who cherry-pick the world’s top players, Sevilla are a more modest outfit who have successfully carved a niche for themselves.
The better side won this Europa League final.
“Sevilla and its fans love this competition”.
But Liverpool were beginning to fire, and when Coutinho found Sturridge unmarked to his left the England striker coolly beat Soria at his far post. The goals were too easy.
Gameiro should have scored in the 60th, when left alone by Moreno, to hit a bouncing shot that goalkeeper Simon Mignolet saved, but Liverpool’s reprieve was short.
The midfielder repeated the feat six minutes later somewhat controversially as the linesman flagged offside but Eriksson told him to put his flag down as the pass has come off a Liverpool player.
The ferocious spirit Liverpool showed at Anfield in overhauling Borussia Dortmund in the quarterfinals and Villarreal in the semifinals was strangely muted. Turning up for 2 half a totally different team!
While the latter accusation could still be levelled at Klopp’s squad, confidence abounds that the German is steering the Liverpool ship to new horizons and a second cup final defeat in three months will not have swayed fans who have been captivated by the German.
Daniel Sturridge: Emphatically vindicated his selection with his stunning 35th-minute opener.
The former Sevilla defender’s sloppy play twice in quick succession led to Gameiro’s equalizer, and his positioning was poor for Coke’s decisive second strike in the 70th which effectively sealed the outcome.
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Gameiro’s equalising goal just 18 seconds after the break.
