Liverpool suffered a lacklustre performance as they were stunned 3-0 by Atalanta in a Europa League quarter-final, raising questions about Jurgen Klopp’s future in European nights at Anfield.
The defeat jeopardizes Liverpool’s hopes of reaching the final in Dublin, with Atalanta taking control of the tie thanks to Gianluca Scamacca’s brace and a late goal from Mario Pasalic.
Liverpool struggled to create chances and lacked coherence throughout the match, with the loss marking their first home defeat since February last year against Real Madrid.
Despite an early chance from Harvey Elliott hitting the woodwork, Atalanta took the lead in the first half through Scamacca. Liverpool started the second half brightly, but Scamacca struck again to extend Atalanta’s lead.
Klopp tried to rally the fans to lift the atmosphere at Anfield, but Atalanta remained dominant, with Pasalic sealing the victory late in the game.
The warning signs were evident from the start, with Atalanta threatening early on. Liverpool struggled to respond effectively, with Atalanta’s fluid attacking play causing problems.
Despite Liverpool’s efforts to claw their way back into the game, Atalanta continued to assert their dominance, leaving Liverpool with a mountain to climb in the second leg.