Liverpool overtook RB Leipzig in the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a 2–0 win in Budapest on Wednesday, with coach Jurgen Klopp saying his side helps put Premier League problems aside. Repeating their rapid-fire double act from the first leg, Mohammed Salah and Sadio Mane hit the Reds again within four seconds for a 4–0 aggregate victory and Liverpool’s European glory to save their pitiful home season Kept the expectations alive.
After six consecutive defeats at Anfield and finishing eighth in the Premier League, with the second leg played in the Hungarian capital due to the Koppid-19 travel restrictions, Klopp’s men were relieved to be away from home.
Klopp told BT Sport, “They were outstanding. We had to shut down Premier League stuff to try and get here.
“The boys really enjoyed themselves tonight, which is important,” Klopp said.
“This is a big result for us,” Salah said.
“We have lost a few games in the Premier League. The team is not in the best position but we want to fight in the Champions League,” he said.
“It’s been tough in the Premier League, everybody can see that. For the last few years we were winning, we were flying. This year we had some injuries, so we were inauspicious, we were trying to fix it. But it is tough, ”she added.
While the Reds showed attacking intentions from the off, they capitalized on several occasions during the first half.
“The first-half we made big chances and didn’t score, which is the one thing we have in 2021,” Klopp said.
Marked in a corner, Diogo Jota should have opened his account in the 18th minute but the Portuguese striker overtook Hungarian goalkeeper Peter Guleci, who rearranged.
During this period, Salah was released to the left via an acrobatic scissor kick by Thiago Alcantara, but his left-footed effort was blocked by Gulesi, with Mane unchanging the rebound.
– Leipzig Miss Chance –
Then after half an hour, the onswing Salah could not finish from the close range after completing a cross by Trent Alexander-Arnold, which was sent clear to the right by a slide-rule pass by Mane.
Due to the narrow exodus, Leipzig started to move beyond Liverpool’s high line and managed to create some opportunities of their own.
Kevin Kampl forced Alison Becker with a curler from afar, while Swedish player Emil Forsberg, back from injury, hit a snapshot wide of the outpost a minute later.
Nevertheless, with the opening side in Middlefield and Brazil’s Fabinho in directing matters, better prospects fell for Liverpool.
Jota again fired at Gulesi just before the break and then in a side-netting on the whistle after a slip by French defender Datot Upamecano.
Leipzig, flying home six straight to the Bundesliga’s back, but scrambling in Budapest, needed a goal to immediately chase away Liverpool, but continued to lack entry in the second half.
In truth, the men of Julian Nugelsman, who edged out Tottenham at this stage of the competition last year and Manchester United at this stage this season, rarely claimed an even bigger skull by turning the tie.
His final opportunity came on 65 minutes, but Alexander Sorloth’s header drove Hwang Hee-chan from a cross to Alison’s fingers and only rebounded the bar.
Shortly thereafter, Salah and Mane benefitted mercilessly by securing Liverpool’s berth in the final eight.
In the 70th minute, Egypt fired a shot over Gulesi, then four minutes later Mane crossed the Divock Originals past Howst Hungary.
“The best thing the boys have done is that no one can see how good Leipzig can be,” Klopp said.
Promoted
“We defended them really well because they are a monster. They are usually so powerful,” he said.
“We want to win the football game, we feel it for the first time in a while and it’s a big difference.”
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