Klopp feels Madrid tie is over after Anfield hammering

Jurgen Klopp's gut feeling is that Liverpool’s Champions League dreams are over after Real Madrid pulled off a staggering 5-2 comeback win in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

A night that started with Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah goals ended in the Reds’ worst ever European home defeat.

Vinicius Junior’s brace had Madrid level at the break, with Eder Militao’s header moments after the restart taking the wind out of Liverpool’s sails.

Karim Benzema added two more to seal a 5-2 victory and leave Klopp’s side staring down the barrel of an early Champions League exit to the side that beat them in final nine months ago.

Put to the Liverpool boss that Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti said he could not say the last-16 tie was over, he said: "I think Carlo thinks the tie is over – and I think it as well in the moment.

"But in three weeks – that is how it is in these moments – the closer you get to the game, the bigger our chances become and the less likely that the tie is over.

"But tonight with a 5-2 when you see the game, they are pretty good in counter-attacking… we have to score there three goals and take some risks. That could be a bit tricky.

"But it’s really not in my mind so we go there, I can say that now already, and try and win the game.

"If that’s possible or not right now I don’t know but that’s what we will try and from there we will see."

Liverpool head to Spain for the second leg on March 15 reeling from a humiliating loss, having become the first team in Champions League history to take a 2-0 lead and lose by a three-goal margin.

It is a result that could dent confidence in an already challenging campaign, but Klopp wants his players to focus on the positives.

"I can see that people think that, understandable, but that is