"We're so disappointed because we started so well in this tournament" - Salzburg Coach on Champions League Exit

The Australian side were dumped into the Europa League competition after a 2-0 loss to Liverpool yesterday

"We're so disappointed because we started so well in this tournament" - Salzburg Coach on Champions League Exit
Jesse Marsch, Salzburg Coach

 Salzburg coach, Jesse Marsch says he is disappointed at his side’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool yesterday in the final Group game in the UEFA Champions League on home soil.

The Reds needed a draw at the Red Bull Arena to determine whom they will face in the round of 16 on Monday’s draw. Naby Keita's headed opener was followed by a brilliant finish by Mohamed Salah within two minutes in the second half to give Liverpool the passage into the knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League.

 

 

RB Salzburg played their hearts out in the opening minutes of the first half but brilliant saves from Alisson Becker and Van Dijk’s intervention robbed the homesters hopes of getting a goal.

"We're so disappointed because we started so well in this tournament and we played so well until the first goal,” Jesse Marsch said.

“We saw our opponent's quality from the first minute. We had two chances with Hwang and Haaland that we normally would have scored, but Van Dijk was too good. It's disappointing but I think in a few days we will look back with pride."

 

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"We said we'd need our best performance to win this game and we gave it until the first goal. I think things would have been different if we had scored first. But in the end they showed their quality, especially the second goal from Salah. It was like a heavyweight fight; they hit us, we hit them, and then they hit us twice for the knockout,” he added.

Klopp praised the Austrian side for their impressive run in the Group stages of the competition but praised his boys’ mentality towards the game.

 

 

"I couldn't have more respect for what Salzburg are doing. When you see how good they were in the first game, against Napoli and against Genk. We could have come here as reigning champions and misunderstood the situation, but I love how smart we were against them," Klopp revealed.

Liverpool will wait until Monday to know their opponent in the 1/16 stage of the competition with Salzburg dropping into the Europa League.