Mohamed Salah scored early for Liverpool, but it was not enough in Liverpool’s pursuit of a semi-final place in the Europa League. Photo: Antonio Calanni / AP / NTB
Of NTB | 18.04.2024 23:03:05
Sport: Mohamed Salah’s penalty after seven minutes gave the visitors a 1-0 victory in northern Italy. It helped very little as Liverpool lost 0-3 at home at Anfield.
Thus, Jürgen Klopp cannot round off his final season as Liverpool manager with a European title.
Now the club must use all its strength for an intense gold medal match in the Premier League. There they are behind as a result of the 0-2 shock to Crystal Palace last weekend.
Salah’s goal ignited Liverpool’s hopes in Bergamo. The penalty came when Trent Alexander-Arnold hit the ball into the arm of Matteo Ruggeri. A few minutes before the break, Salah missed with a lob from 20 meters into an open goal.
After the break, Atalanta were far better and stopped Liverpool from creating chances.
– It has been a toothless Liverpool in the second half. They have fallen right into the trap of (Gian Piero) Gasperini and Atalanta, who have got it exactly as they wanted, said Viaplay’s commentator Andreas Toft in the final minutes.
In the semi-finals, Atalanta will meet either French Marseille or Portuguese Benfica with Fredrik Aursnes in the stable.
The Europa League final will be played in Dublin on 22 May.
(© NTB)