Liverpool Echo

RB Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann makes honest admission after Liverpool defeat

Liverpool Echo logo Liverpool Echo 11/03/2021 04:00:00 Ian Doyle
UP NEXT
UP NEXT

Julian Nagelsmann admitted his RB Leipzig side were "angry" but could have no complaints with Liverpool's Champions League triumph.

The Reds won 2-0 in their round of 16 second leg clash in Budapest on Wednesday to progress 4-0 on aggregate.

As in the first meeting last month, Liverpool created a number of first-half openings before goals from Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane after the break secured victory.

And Nagelsmann accepted the greater quality of the Premier League champions was the difference.

"We don't want to lose, but sometimes you just have to admit the opponent was better," said the Leipzig boss. "We have to accept it.

"We have to admit we are angry and sad but it's well deserved for Liverpool to go through to the next round.

"There are lessons to be learned. We didn't show enough emotion on the pitch. The experience from the first leg was at the back of people's minds still.

"We knew Liverpool had a lot of pace and were good on the break and have talent in terms of their strikers. Maybe we didn't have enough courage.

"We deserved to be knocked out, mainly due to today's match really.

"It took us a while to get used to the match. There were not enough emotional moments, we were too slow to make actions, and the emotional qualities we have had in recent matches wasn't shown today."

Leipzig reached the semi-finals last season and had eliminated Manchester United in the group stage this campaign.

But they were well beaten come the final whistle, and Nagelsmann added: "After 25 minutes we managed to control the match a bit better but the second half was similar. We didn't have a lot of chances or moments.

"We could see there was a bit of respect in terms of counter-attacks but that meant we reacted wrongly then conceded the first goal, which was a symbolic situation - we were defending but weren't being active enough and kept too much distance from the attackers.

"You could see the quality that they have. (Diogo) Jota with the assist and Salah scored a great goal. Then came the second goal and it was game over, wasn't it?"

jeudi 11 mars 2021 06:00:00 Categories: Liverpool Echo

ShareButton
ShareButton
ShareButton
  • RSS

Suomi sisu kantaa
NorpaNet Beta 1.1.0.18818 - Firebird 5.0 LI-V6.3.2.1497

TetraSys Oy.

TetraSys Oy.