Liverpool's reign as Champions League winners is over after a costly goalkeeping error enabled Atletico Madrid to stage a smash-and-grab victory.
Jurgen Klopp’s side appeared to be heading to the quarterfinals early in extra time as they led 2-0 after Roberto Firmino added to Gini Wijnaldum’s regulation-time strike.
But a loskop mistake by reserve keeper Adrian changed the game and allowed Atletico substitute Marcos Llorente to score a crucial away goal.
Adrian, who was playing because of a hip injury to first-choice keeper Alisson Becker, made a hash of clearing a simple pass then got himself into the wrong position as Llorente rolled the ball past him.
Liverpool went on to concede two further cheap goals to lose the tie 4-2 on aggregate.
GUTTED: Jurgen Klopp, left. Picture: Carl Recine/Reuters.
Klopp refused to blame Adrian but he said: “Everyone who saw the game knows that it could have been different. I loved the first 90 minutes.
“Our only mistake was we scored our second goal too late.
“It was really exceptional The pass [from Adrian] was not. I love the boy but that is the wrong decision. It was then a bit easy to finish the situation off for them.
“We will not blame. He is a man and he knows he made a mistake. We will not judge him.”
The style with which Diego’s Atletico won, however, had Klopp biting his tongue.
HAPPY CHAPPY: Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone. Picture: Peter Byrne/AP.
The German says: “I’m a really under-average loser and if I said everything that was on my mind I would come across as the worst loser in the world.
“The way they play, I don’t get it.
“I don’t understand with the quality they have, the football they play. They could play proper football but they stand deep and have counter attacks.”
The Reds now have to regroup before Monday night’s Premier League derby against Everton at Goodison Park.
Meanwhile, Paris St Germain advanced to the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time since 2016.
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Goals from Neymar and Juan Bernat secured a 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund at an empty Parc de Princes in Paris, overturning a 2-1 deficit and winning the last-16 tie 3-2 on aggregate.