Liverpool suffer Champions League humiliation against Napoli

Liverpool were humiliated on their return to Champions League action as outstanding Napoli ran out comprehensive 4-1 winners against Jurgen Klopp’s sloppy side.

Just 102 days on from losing the final to Real Madrid on a chaotic night at the Stade de France, the Reds returned to continental action looking for a club-record seventh consecutive European away win.

But Liverpool’s stuttering Premier League form continued into Wednesday’s Champions League opener and they were fortunate to only be three down against Luciano Spalletti’s exciting, new-look Napoli at half-time.

Victor Osimhen struck the woodwork seconds into a game that was only five minutes old when Piotr Zielinski converted a penalty awarded for James Milner’s handball.

Napoli soon had another spot-kick but Alisson Becker denied Osimhen, before Virgil van Dijk – who had given away that penalty – got back to thwart Khvicha Kvaratskhelia with a fine goal-line clearance.

But Liverpool wilted rather than rallied at the cavernous, creaking Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, where ex-Fulham midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and substitute Giovanni Simeone struck before half-time.

Napoli were celebrating a fourth moments into the second half as Zielinski grabbed a smart second, meaning Luis Diaz’s quick response was only ever going to be a consolation.

The celebrations are sure to continue long into the night in southern Italy, while Liverpool will hope their poor start to the campaign has bottomed out with this embarrassing defeat.

Fan safety in Naples had dominated the build-up to the Group A clash and the hardy Liverpool fans that made the trip walked into an extraordinary atmosphere that only improved as a wild first half unfolded.

Only 41 seconds were on the clock