Liverpool (AFP)

Thunderbolt: the European champion Liverpool fell in overtime (3-2 ap) against Atlético Madrid, as catchy as realistic, in the knockout stages of the Champions League return Wednesday at Anfield.

A double from substitute Marcos Llorente in the first part of the overtime allowed the Spaniards, until then very passive, to eject the Reds, punished in the last seconds by Alvaro Morata who offered a prestigious victory to the men of Diego Simeone ( 3-2, 120e).

It was however believed that the magic of Anfield had again operated when Roberto Firmino scored the goal of 2-0 at the very beginning of the overtime, he who had not shaken the nets of the legendary enclosure for almost one year (94th). The goal of qualifying for the Reds who lost 1-0 in Madrid.

But the cold shower came very quickly behind with a failed recovery from Adrian and a ball arrived at Marcos Llorente, whose coiled strike turned off the sound at Anfield (2-1, 97th), before recurring just before mid- overtime time (2-2, 105 + 1).

So far, Liverpool had led this return match very well.

Left side Andrew Robertson spoke before the game to keep a cool head and it was indeed important to continue throwing wave after wave on the double black curtain of the Spanish defense.

Jürgen Klopp told him about the unpredictability that his players had to try to put in their movements and this was illustrated wonderfully by the opening of the score.

Atlético did a good job of muzzleing the right side of the attack, notably the Trent Alexander-Arnold / Mohamed Salah duo.

But he did not see the magnificent call of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain coming behind Renan Lodi's back. The center of the midfielder found Georginio Wijnaldum alone between the penalty point and the six meters, whose pricked head could only be accompanied in the small net by Jan Oblak (1-0, 43rd).

- Oblak as colchonero hero--

The goal was a breath of fresh air for Anfield who saw his favorites completely suffocate their opponents, but still find Oblak on their way (6th, 14th, 34th, 36th).

A head from Felipe to the far post on a corner had even caused a great thrill in the back of the Kop before which the action had taken place (18th).

The second period was a carbon copy of the first, even if the Colchoneros were able to build a little better their rare attacks after the exit of Diego Costa out of the shot.

Adrian, the replacement for Alisson Becker even had to make a double parade - even if the second resulted from a small hand fault on the first - in front of João Felix and Angel Correa (61st).

Oblak, for his part, kept his team alive against strikes from Oxlade-Chamberlain (54th), a recovery from Firmino (60th) and a heavy strike from Alexander-Arnold (69th), after being saved by its bar on a head of Andy Robertson (67th) that all Anfield saw in the background.

A Mané bicycle, on a handover from Wijnaldum's head, caused the stadium to rise again, but his attempt was lost in the Kop (85th).

In the end, the Reds, who had not been eliminated in a return match for two years, can have many regrets and this premature exit may tarnish a season so far remarkable.

Eliminated from the FA Cup, Liverpool should formalize in a few days its first title of champion in 30 years, but for this team which lives by and for the competition, more than for the honors, the end of the season will have a good taste bland.

© 2020 AFP