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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp hails 'super' performance as Lionel Messi masterclass downs Reds
Jurgen Klopp hailed Liverpool’s ‘super’ game despite coming out of their Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona with a heavy 3-0 deficit.
Lionel Messi struck twice, including his 600th goal for the Catalan side, after Luis Suarez opened the scoring against his former club to put Liverpool in serious trouble.
But the Reds manager has praised his side’s performance and admitted they were helpless against Messi.
“That’s what football is like, it’s about scoring goals. They scored three, we scored none, that’s how it is,” the charismatic German told BT Sport.
“The performance was really good, the boys played a super game. Against a side like Barcelona, a few moments are enough for them.
“What can I say? Im really happy with the performance, of course not too happy with the result, but that’s football.
“You don’t get grades or something like that, only the hard result. You have to accept it and we do.”
Messi - widely seen as the best footballer of his generation - doubled Barcelona’s lead in the second half after Suarez’s effort rebounded off the post.
AS IT HAPPENED: Barcelona v Liverpool
READ MORE: Barcelona thrash Liverpool to take control of Champions League semi-final
It was a simple tap-in for the magician but his second - and Barcelona’s third - was a wonder strike from 35 yards.
And although Klopp was left frustrated with the outcome, which has all but ended Liverpool’s hopes of a second consecutive Champions League final appearance, the Reds manager admitted there were positives.
“What can I say? How we created the moments was outstanding, how we caused them problems was outstanding,” he added.
“Getting in one down is hard but not a big problem, that’s how we ended up at half time.
“Going out there and then the game, how we played it, I don’t know if we can play it much better to be honest. One moment the ball goes off the crossbar, I don’t remember exactly how it happened, and then for Messi it was an easy goal.
“The next one was a wonder strike. That was obviously unsavable.
“Yeah, there’s no party in the dressing room, that’s true. I told my boys my view of the game.
“We will play again but what’s the plan? We will see. We made our lives not easier with that result, we don’t have to think about that now.
“In three days we play against Newcastle, that’s much more important.”
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