The Daily Observer London Desk: Reporter- Judith Benjamin
Jurgen Klopp attempted to deliver one of those answers that carried authority and assurance but, this time, the words felt hollow.
Asked about the potential for confidence to be irreparably damaged by the most sobering Anfield night in Liverpool’s European history, Klopp looked up from underneath his baseball cap and did his best to argue to the contrary.
‘That is absolutely not allowed,’ he said, his tone low. ‘If you don’t learn the start was outstanding and was us in a nutshell, if we allow this one game to be influential, we are really silly. We have a few days when I make sure we take the right things.
‘Yes we have a few things to improve: third goal, massively; first goal massively. But the intensity, the effort we showed… the football was like everything we want to see. We have to make sure we keep that; 5-2 could be damaging but I have to make sure that is not happening.’
Good luck. There are only so many blows one group can take and the pummelling Liverpool suffered at Real Madrid’s hands made you think of a boxer, heaving on his haunches after taking one fight too many – muscle memory and a glorious past mean nothing when you can’t defend yourself.
Jurgen Klopp looked almost haunted by what he’d seen against Real Madrid on Tuesday
The Reds were torn apart having led the game 2-0 and slumped to a 5-2 defeat
Liverpool fans who Klopp turned from doubters to believers are now doubters again
