Jürgen Klopp, the Liverpool manager, accepted his side could not raise their game against Real Madrid in the Champions League and were second best at the Bernabéu.
Karim Benzema’s 78th-minute goal gave the hosts a 1-0 victory on the night but the damage had been done in the first leg, which Liverpool lost 5-2. “It’s true.
We came here with the backpack we had with the three-goal difference, and you need a special performance and we did not show a special performance tonight,” Klopp said. “In moments it was a good performance but Real Madrid were the team in control for most of the game.
They had the better chances, Ali [Alisson Becker] had to make two sensational saves to keep us in the game and that’s the reason [we lost]. “If you want to get through, you need to be outstanding.