Liverpool

Jordan Henderson is set to miss as much as three weeks after the Liverpool skipper picked up a hamstring injury during Tuesday's 1-0 defeat away to Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League last-16 first leg on Tuesday.

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp confirmed how long his midfield talisman will be on the shelf on Friday, per Husmukh Kerai of Sky Sports: "(Henderson) could have been worse. It was a hamstring (issue) and there have been a lot of different hamstring injuries around in the Premier League, Harry Kane for example. It's not that bad, but he will be out for around three weeks or so. It is not cool, but the way we see it, we were still lucky."

Henderson will now miss Monday night's game at home to West Ham United in the Premier League. The 29-year-old is also likely to be out for subsequent league games away to Watford and at home to Bournemouth.

Those matches are part of a relatively soft run of fixtures that could see Liverpool win the title as early as March 21. Klopp's runaway leaders are 22 points ahead of Manchester City entering the 27th week of the campaign. 

A first domestic title since 1990 isn't the only silverware in the Reds' sights. Liverpool need to overturn their deficit against tough and resourceful Atleti at Anfield on March 11 to keep alive hopes of retaining the Champions League trophy.

Liverpool had 0 shots on target vs. Atletico Madrid

Perfectly executed game plan. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/JMoaKn4QnE

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) February 18, 2020

Klopp's team is also still in the FA Cup, facing Chelsea away in the fifth round on March 3.

Henderson will be a big miss since he's become the natural leader in a record-breaking squad. The former Sunderland man has transformed himself from a steady if not spectacular anchorman into the player who leads the Liverpool press in the advanced areas of midfield.

Industry and aggression in the middle of the park have made Henderson vital in the relentless game Klopp favours. The England international has also become a more consistent contributor in attack, scoring three goals and providing five assists in the league.

Jordan Henderson has directly contributed towards five goals in his last four Premier League games:

⚽⚽
🅰🅰🅰

Leading by example. 💪 pic.twitter.com/ayOQdqnqn6

— Squawka (@Squawka) February 15, 2020

Yet while Henderson is important, Liverpool should cope during his absence. Georginio Wijnaldum often plays in a withdrawn role, but the Dutchman is accomplished technically and a skilled-enough finisher to be an asset further forward.

Klopp no longer needs Henderson as an option to screen the back four because of the way Fabinho has developed. He has settled in the Premier League to become one of the best at breaking up play and launching attacks from deep.

Veteran James Milner, 34, has proved in clutch moments he still has what it takes to contribute for a team expected to win the title. Milner, Naby Keita, Adam Lallana and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain ensure the Reds have the strength in depth in the middle to cope in Henderson's absence.  

It's not often those in football respond to requests from rival fans, but Jurgen Klopp wrote back to 10-year-old Manchester United fan Daragh Curley after he asked the coach to make Liverpool lose. 

The youngster wrote to the German for an assignment at Glenswilly National School in County Donegal, Ireland.

He implored Klopp to "please make them lose" and added: "I hope I have convinced you to not win the league or any other match ever again."

Despite Daragh's dismay at Liverpool's winning streak, Klopp replied to his letter:

We ♥️ this!

10 year old Man Utd fan Daragh from Donegal wrote a letter to Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp asking him to stop his team winning so often.

Klopp wrote a personal letter back and it's brilliant! pic.twitter.com/MzsWY346U7

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 20, 2020

The 52-year-old explained he could not grant the request, but he also offered the schoolboy some hope:

"As much as you want Liverpool to lose, it is my job to do everything that I can to help Liverpool to win as there are millions of people around the world who want that to happen, so I really do not want to let them down.

"Luckily for you, we have lost games in the past, and we will lose games in the future because that is football."

The former Borussia Dortmund boss also said United are "lucky to have" him and his passion for football and the club, and he spoke about the respect the two rivals have for one another.

Daragh spoke about the letter he received with Adrian Chiles on BBC Radio 5 Live:

🗣️"I didn't expect to get a reply from Jürgen Klopp at all"

10-year-old Daragh Curley tells Adrian Chiles his shock at the @LFC manager's personal reply to his letter asking him lose⚽️

Eddie Jones best watch out as he's Daragh's next target

📲Read more https://t.co/Ec7ELTc9Tv pic.twitter.com/o21UwmF5Mf

— BBC Radio 5 Live (@bbc5live) February 21, 2020

Daragh's father, Gordon Curley, told BBC News NI:

"My wife Tricia was up in the local post office/shop, and she was told that there was a registered letter there for Daragh Curley.

"She was wondering who would be sending Daragh a registered letter, but when she mentioned it to Daragh he said 'oh it's Jurgen Klopp.'

"And it actually was Jurgen Klopp."

He also said Klopp is "a decent, decent guy," and praised him for writing about "sportsmanship and respect" in the letter.

As for Daragh's hope of the Reds losing, it doesn't look set to happen in the Premier League any time soon, but they did suffer a 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.

Opta's Duncan Alexander noted the contrast between their domestic and European form, despite the Reds having won the Champions League last season:

Liverpool CL defeats in last two seasons: 6
Liverpool PL defeats in last two seasons: 1

They're the reigning European champions and haven't won the league since 1990. I don't make the rules.

— Duncan Alexander (@oilysailor) February 18, 2020

Liverpool still have the second leg of their last-16 tie with Atletico to play, so they're not out of the running in that competition yet.

In the Premier League, Liverpool last suffered defeat on January 3 last year, which was their only loss in the league in the 2018-19 season.

They're unbeaten in this campaign, having picked up 25 wins from 26 matches.

As a result, they're 22 points clear of closest rivals Manchester City with 12 games remaining.

Liverpool are so far ahead, they can still win the league even if their form drops significantly during the run-in:

1.25 points per game = Roy Hodgson's record at Liverpool. https://t.co/Yti2X3Nher

— Andrew Beasley (@BassTunedToRed) February 15, 2020

What's more, Klopp's men will only need 15 points to guarantee the title if City win all of their remaining games.

The Citizens have failed to win nine league matches so far—six of them defeats—and they're yet to pick up more than three consecutive victories, so in reality Liverpool will likely need fewer points.

Liverpool also remain in the FA Cup, in which they'll face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the fifth round.

As soon as Roberto Firmino heard that he would be fulfilling his European dream and joining German club Hoffenheim in late 2010, his immediate thought was to get a tattoo.

Firmino wanted something that expressed his gratitude to his family, who supported his tough journey to the top. The Liverpool forward started his career at second-tier side Figueirense in the South Region of Brazil—over 3,000 kilometers from his hometown of Maceio. He had to spend an entire year without seeing his mom as he tried to make it as a footballer. 

Germany was a life-changing opportunity that came after he had been rejected by Brazil's big clubs and was even deported from Spain on his way to a trial with Marseille in France. 

Firmino wanted his new tattoo to celebrate his family but also to be understandable to everyone at his new working environment, so he decided to get it in German.

The young forward didn't know a single word of the language, though, and relied on Google Translate to help him out. Eventually, he came up with something and decided to pay around €50 to have it inked on his right underarm before he boarded the flight.

The chosen phrase to be inked was: "Familie unaufhorliche Liebe," which Firmino thought translated to: "family's never-ending love."

However, once he set foot in Germany, he quickly learned that it made no sense whatsoever.

"It was not good German—nobody would say it like that, but it actually had a mistake on it too: It should have been 'unaufhörliche,' with the umlaut above the 'o.' It was just wrong," Martin Gruener, a reporter who covered Hoffenheim for Kicker magazine, explains to Bleacher Report.

Firmino rushed to get it fixed at a local parlour at the earliest opportunity, and so, amid much confusion, he began his Bundesliga story. 

It all went uphill from there.

A true bargain at just €4 million, he would eventually sign for Liverpool four-and-a-half years later as a totally different player. In his own words, he was now "half-Brazilian and half-German" whenever he was on the pitch.

His mentality had changed to the point that his former bosses and team-mates would go on to describe him as "more German than many Germans."

"It's the best thing that could have happened to him," Bilu, one of his closest friends, tells B/R.

A former defensive midfielder, Bilu was responsible for arranging a trial for Firmino at Figueirense and ultimately featured alongside him there. He was the best man at his wedding and is also the godfather to his daughters.

"Looking back now, I would say that playing in Germany made the difference to his career. It's the flagship of his success. We see a bunch of talents that don't make it because of their mentality. Firmino could have been one of them, but he didn't let it happen," he adds.

Along with his impressive skills, Firmino's hardworking mindset was key in convincing Liverpool to send a delegation over to a hotel in Santiago, Chile, to seal his €41 million transfer to Anfield during the 2015 Copa America.

It has proved to be a transfer coup for the Reds.

A shy and affable character, Firmino developed an instant bond with Liverpool's German manager, Jurgen Klopp, whom he had faced multiple times in the Bundesliga. 

Firmino quickly established himself as a fan favourite at Anfield. He's been instrumental in Liverpool's remarkable run of form this season that looks destined to end in the club's first league title in 30 years. 

"He is [unique]," Klopp said in a recent press conference. "How he makes things happen is special, absolutely. I do not know another player like him."

In August, Firmino became the first Brazilian to score 50 Premier League goals. That he is now a member of world football's elite is a testament to his relentless work ethic. 

It was Ernst Tanner, Hoffenheim's erstwhile former sporting director, who decided to bet on Firmino and bring him to the Bundesliga when he was just a 19-year-old skinny boy plying his trade in Brazil's second division, far away from the South American country's intense media spotlight.

The logistics made it an incredibly difficult deal to pull off, and yet Tanner pushed the move forward after travelling to the southern coastal city of Florianopolis to watch Firmino in 2010.

Tanner has an impressive track record of identifying relative unknowns who turn into big-money superstars. At Hoffenheim he also signed Gylfi Sigurdsson, while at Red Bull Salzburg he brought in Sadio Mane and Naby Keita—two players who are now team-mates of Firmino's at Liverpool.  

He looks back at the pursuit of Firmino with particular pride. 

"I went over to Brazil twice that year, but it wasn't easy to get the right impression on Firmino during a game because he didn't actually play regularly [for Figueirense]," Tanner, who now works for the Philadelphia Union in MLS, tells B/R.

"With the World Cup being held that season, they had a break in the summer, and you know how tight the national calendar is over there, which roughly means that they play Saturday, then Wednesday and then Saturday again. 

"In between, they need to travel, so it was very hard even to follow him in training, but we managed to get into the stadium facilities as tourists to watch him working.

"There was one specific session where I said, 'OK, this was the right type of player.' He's bringing along the right mentality, he's eager to learn, he works hard—what we saw in training was far better than in game. That was the reason why we took that decision. We had also sent a scout over, but his report was negative on him."

At his unveiling at Hoffenheim, Firmino was introduced as "a top talent" who would be given "enough time to settle."

Although he had been named breakout star of the season in Brazil's second tier, with eight goals in 36 games, his physical condition was a major concern from the very beginning and demanded attention from the club.

"You should have seen the data that we got on him when he was coming for the first time [to Hoffenheim]. In Germany, we usually do these endurance tests, blood ones, which are pretty accurate, you know, and he had the worst numbers I have ever seen in professional football," Tanner recalls.

"I would say to emphasise that he was even worse than my grandma. You can't imagine. They were so low that you couldn't even believe that he was ever able to play professional football."

Throw back Monday to when Roberto Firmino Barbosa de Oliviera was a teenager in Brazil. Started out with Figueirense’s youth system in 2008 after being discovered by the dentist Marcellus Portella. He started his career as a defensive midfielder. pic.twitter.com/BGrkNljKSs

— Moby (@Mobyhaque1) October 22, 2018

Going from the island city of Florianopolis, a popular holiday spot for Brazilians, to snowy Hoffenheim didn't make it any easier either, but despite those circumstances, Firmino settled surprisingly well.

Apart from the struggles with the language, he adjusted much quicker than some of his compatriots had done in the past.

"At first, he brought one of my cousins, Junior, to live with him. I still remember him saying that he had a tough time in his first months. He had come from a beautiful city with a summer that lasts almost all year round to a small village where he had to face minus 20 C," Bilu recalls.

"It was no piece of cake, but eventually he overcame it."

Within three months, Firmino was already showcasing his talent in the Bundesliga. Ultimately, he finished that 2010-11 season with just three goals to his name. He was yet to reach the peak of his form, but Hoffenheim believed he had improved his fitness "about 50 to 60 percent" over that campaign.

The ever-smiling teenager still had a long way ahead of him, but he had done enough in those initial displays to garner some attention, and not just for the way he played.

Firmino's eccentric fashion sense was already making headlines, with a particular detail in his smile drawing attention from everyone around.

Roberto Firmino’s tie is straight out of 3017 🤖

(📸 via Instagram/roberto_firmino) pic.twitter.com/BBC9AcH054

— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 20, 2017

"At his start, he wore braces on his teeth, sometimes with pink stones, sometimes very glittering. It was like his own trademark in a time when he did not have as many tattoos as he does now," Gruener says.

After that initial season settling in, Firmino never looked back. Operating predominantly as a No. 10 and sometimes featuring out wide, he became a key cog in a Hoffenheim side that played attractive, attacking football and challenged some of the local big guns.

The village team's fruitful connection with Brazil following their promotion in 2008 also meant that Firmino was often surrounded by countrymen at the club, which made his transition to the Bundesliga all the smoother.

He often shared a room before away games with the experienced Chris Hening—a fellow Brazilian who, as well as having a Germanic-sounding name, spent much of his career in Germany. 

"Firmino was like a son to me," Hening tells B/R. "Hoffenheim were my last side, I was already 35 and close to retiring. The club also had a Brazilian employee, Cesar Thier [former goalkeeper and now part of the management team], an amazing guy who helps foreign players.

"Every Thursday, we had dinner and some fun at my house. Our band was basically Firmino, [Heurelho] Gomes [Watford keeper], Igor de Camargo [Brazil-born Belgium international], Cesar, Joselu [Spanish striker] and me.

"When I got to Hoffenheim, Firmino was already playing regularly—you could see he had the potential to be one of the very best in the game.

"I demanded a lot of him, telling him about the importance of being highly professional, eating well, having discipline. When you reach a certain level, every detail makes a difference. I had to go through that on my own, so I tried to help him with my experience."

Firmino's boisterous personality was not always so welcomed by Hening, though. 

"It was a nightmare to share a room with him," he jokes.  

"I was already in my 34, 35 years and wanted to sleep a bit more before matches, until nine in the morning. He woke up at seven, though, listening to Axe [a popular Brazilian music genre]. I had never seen him a bit down."

Firmino has managed to bring that Brazilian joy to his game but has mingled it with a determined German mindset to triumph abroad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MhyToyUfks

In 2013-14, he was voted Bundesliga's breakthrough player of the season, following a number of stunning performances that saw him finish with 16 goals and 12 assists. Unsurprisingly, his first-ever Brazil call-up came at the end of that year.

It was the icing on the cake for a striker who successfully blended two sets of characteristics from different countries to reach a level that Tanner had foreseen from the first moment.

"I was pretty sure that he would be a top Bundesliga player. We do these evaluations in our scouting reports, you know, and I think that out of 10, nine and 10 are international level. And I gave him, I don't know if it was an eight or nine, but I'm sure it was pretty high," Tanner says.

"Everyone [at Hoffenheim] was a bit curious about that at the time, but I rated him pretty high because I was so convinced about his abilities and even more so by his attitude. 

"When I saw how the coach criticised him [in a training with Figueirense], he was like a schoolboy standing there and listening to his teacher. I still have that picture in my brain.

"I thought to myself after an hour that if that coach had done that to a German player, he would head straight to the locker room totally pissed off, but Firmino took the criticism well. He tried to improve, to do better. That was really impressive."

Today, there is little reason for anyone to criticise Firmino as he leads the line for the European and Club World Cup champions. 

Whether it's in English or even in German, Klopp does not have much to reprimand "Bobby," as he usually calls him, about these days. 

The only thing he is in danger of is running out of superlatives. 

         

Follow Marcus on Twitter: @_marcus_alves

RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner has said he's "very proud" to be linked with UEFA Champions League holders Liverpool. 

The 23-year-old scored a penalty on Wednesday in his team's 1-0 win away to Tottenham Hotspur in the opening leg of their last-16 matchup in Europe's top-tier competition.

Werner told Viasport (h/t Goal's Josh Thomas) reporter Jan Aage Fjortoft after the first-leg win what it meant to be associated with an Anfield transfer: 

.@TimoWerner: – Liverpool are the best team in the world at the moment, and when you're linked with that team, it makes me very proud.

(@JanAageFjortoft) https://t.co/KE0Fy4sm0F

— Viaplay Fotball (@ViaplayFotball) February 19, 2020

The Germany international said: "Liverpool is the best team, in this moment, in the world and when you're linked with this team, it makes me very proud. But in case of that, it's a pleasure, but I know Liverpool have a lot of good players and I have to improve myself, to learn much more things to get on this level to play there."

Tottenham were hindered in attack against Leipzig without their two top scorers, Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son. Werner converted his spot-kick after Ben Davies took out Konrad Laimer inside the box (U.S. viewers only):

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1230240725507420161

Liverpool already boast arguably the most fearsome attacking lineup in the world, with Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino each critical in their run to last season's Champions League crown.

The trio have also played substantial roles in assembling Liverpool's 22-point lead at the Premier League summit this term. Versatile forward Werner is presumably seen as a complementary figure, as opposed to the idea that he'll be a replacement for anyone.

Bild reporter Christian Falk said earlier in February that Jurgen Klopp's interest in the Leipzig star was genuine. Werner signed a new contract at the Red Bull Arena in August after his previous deal was due to expire in June 2020, though it's understood he has a €60 million (£50.2 million) release clause:

Our story: Jürgen Klopp is interested in @TimoWerner for @LFC. The striker can leave @DieRotenBullen because of a clause for about 60 Million Euros in summer @SPORTBILD

— Christian Falk (@cfbayern) February 12, 2020

Werner's interest in a transfer to Merseyside could be critical to Liverpool's hopes considering Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich continue to be linked with the attacker, per Kicker (h/t Mirror's Jack Collins).

Fjortoft told beIN Sports after Wednesday's game that he felt Liverpool were the favourites to sign Werner:

Liverpool are favorites to sign Timo Werner in the summer, according to @JanAageFjortoft!#beINUCL #TOTRBL #LFC pic.twitter.com/ykZjD31wex

— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) February 19, 2020

The Leipzig talisman has scored 26 goals and recorded 10 assists in 32 total appearances this season. Twenty of his strikes have come in the German top flight, three fewer than leading scorer Robert Lewandowski, via Goal:

All 20 of Timo Werner’s Bundesliga goals so far this season 🔥

No wonder Jurgen Klopp likes him 👀pic.twitter.com/AZS1ZGVu5w

— GOAL (@goal) February 12, 2020

Klopp has already added cover to his ranks this year with the winter acquisition of Takumi Minamino, a savvy £7.25 million signing from Red Bull Salzburg, per the Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle.

Mark Jones of the Mirror wrote in January that the Premier League leaders are willing to sell winger Xherdan Shaqiri for £25 million this summer, and his exit would free up the space for Werner's arrival.

After signing midfielder Naby Keita from Leipzig in 2018, the signs look encouraging that Liverpool could recruit from the German outfit again at the end of this season.

Werner will look to help push Leipzig into their maiden Champions League quarter-final when they host Spurs in the last-16 second leg on March 10.

Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson has hit out at Atletico Madrid following their 1-0 win over the Reds in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday. 

The Spanish side took the lead in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, and Robertson felt they considered it to be job done:

"They celebrated like they won the tie after the game, so let's see."

"They're coming back to Anfield, we know our fans will be there."

Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson know this one isn't over yet 💪

🎙 @DesKellyBTS pic.twitter.com/5tJpyM9DvH

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 18, 2020

He said:

"That [performance is] what [Simeone] is. When you're not playing against him it is probably great to watch, but we have no problem with it.

"They celebrated as if they had won the tie. But let's see. We have some weeks then they come to Anfield. We know our fans will be there, so it is up to them to come as well."

The decisive goal on Tuesday came inside four minutes, when Saul Niguez scored from an Atleti corner (U.S. and UK only, respectively):

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1229860195486109699

Listen to that roar 🤯

Saul Niguez gives Atletico the dream start with a goal inside four minutes!

They are well up for this! pic.twitter.com/vEF4UXgGiG

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 18, 2020

Saul's close-range effort was one of just two shots on target in the game. The other came in the 26th minute when Alvaro Morata forced a save from Alisson.

Liverpool had eight shots but none hit the target.

Football broadcaster Juan G. Arango was puzzled by Robertson's comments, as he felt they celebrated producing "one of the best performances of the season."

Atleti haven't quite been at their best in this campaign, as demonstrated by the fact they're fourth in La Liga and 13 points off the top. Their showing on Tuesday was a classic performance under Simeone, though, as they battled and restricted Liverpool to few clear chances.

Football writer Dermot Corrigan thought Los Rojiblancos deserved a more significant lead for their efforts:

FT Atletico 1-0 Liverpool. Saul's goal seems little reward as Simeone's patched up side out-played, out-fought and out-thought Klopp's supposedly all-conquering team.

— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) February 18, 2020

Robertson also hit out at Atleti for "falling over and trying to get under our skin. They were falling over easy."

Klopp was similarly concerned about Atletico players hitting the ground too easily:

Klopp: "Our plan was obviously not to take Sadio off with a yellow card. But I was afraid his opponent would go down even his opponent took a deep breath. So I didn't want that situation so I took him off."

— Tom Allnutt (@TomAllnutt_) February 18, 2020

Liverpool have until March 11 to prepare for the second leg of the tie at Anfield.

The Reds have played 20 matches at Anfield in all competitions this season and won 18, so they'll feel confident they can overturn a 1-0 deficit even against the defensive might of Atletico Madrid.

They successfully came back from a much worse position in the semi-finals last season, having been 3-0 down to Barcelona from the first leg.

Jurgen Klopp was far from impressed with how Atletico Madrid went about unsettling his Liverpool team during the first leg of the UEFA Champions League last 16 on Tuesday night. 

Atleti beat the holders 1-0 at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium thanks to a goal from Saul Niguez after four minutes. Liverpool struggled to respond because a usually prolific forward line was blunted, with Sadio Mane particularly out of sorts.

Mane was booked five minutes before the break for a foul on Sime Vrsaljko, and Klopp thinks it's obvious the hosts wanted to get the forward shown a second yellow card and ultimately sent off:

Jurgen Klopp couldn't hide his disdain for Atletico's cynical tactics in time wasting and play-acting saying:

"It is obviously part of football and I don’t like that. It was clear they wanted to get Sadio out of the game by getting him booked." #LFC

— David Maddock (@MaddockMirror) February 18, 2020

Klopp subbed Mane at halftime, replacing him with Divock Origi. The Liverpool boss spoke bluntly about why he replaced one of his star players so early:

Klopp on Mane substitution: "I was afraid his opponent would go down if Sadio took a deep breath."

— Chris Bascombe (@_ChrisBascombe) February 18, 2020

Origi scored at the same venue when the Reds beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in last season's final. Yet the Belgium international couldn't find the necessary space to punish an Atletico side defending with aggression and discipline.

Atleti boss Diego Simeone shaped his team into a compact 4-4-2 formation. The tactical setup succeeded in denying Liverpool space in wide areas, with strikers Alvaro Morata and Angel Correa keeping raiding full-backs Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold penned deep.

Simeone's men also left few gaps between their two banks of four, with Saul working tirelessly in the middle. Meanwhile, tough-tackling Thomas Partey shielded the backline brilliantly:

Thomas Partey made 13 ball recoveries vs. Liverpool, no player on the pitch made more.

Tireless performance. 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/oFeIGdotCy

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) February 18, 2020

Koke tucked in from the right to supplement the efforts of Partey and Saul, while former Real Madrid holding midfielder Marcos Llorente also excelled when he came on. The hosts also rarely wasted a chance to slow the game down, never rushing throw-ins or set pieces while protecting the early goal.

Klopp, who was booked by referee Szymon Marciniak for his protests, may not have liked the way Atleti went about it, but there was no denying how resolutely Simeone's group had absorbed pressure:

Atletico Madrid won against Liverpool despite having 27.5% possession, the lowest by a winning team in a UCL knockout game since Basel in Mar 2018 (vs. Man City).

Vintage Simeone. 👊 pic.twitter.com/Crz70l0MPi

— Squawka (@Squawka) February 18, 2020

Liverpool bossed the ball, but didn't use it wisely enough with Mane and fellow forward Mohamed Salah subdued and off the pace. Mane made a goalscoring return from a hamstring injury during Saturday's 1-0 win away to Norwich City in the Premier League, but he was never allowed to settle in the Spanish capital.

Mane and Salah's problems were the main reason what had been a ruthlessly efficient Liverpool attack failed to click:

Atletico Madrid 1-0 Liverpool FT

Liverpool failed to have a single shot on target for the first time in a game across all competitions since October 3rd, 2018 (vs Napoli)

There wasn't a single shot on target between the two teams from the 27th minute onwards #UCL pic.twitter.com/lx0idoAu2s

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) February 18, 2020

His team was ruffled by Atleti's knack for irritation, but Klopp remains bullish about Liverpool's chances of still going through when the two sides renew hostilities on Merseyside on March 11:

Klopp: All Atletico fans who have a ticket for the game, welcome to Anfield...

— Ian Doyle (@IanDoyleSport) February 18, 2020

Klopp knows history is on his side after last season's dramatic comeback against Barcelona in the last four. Liverpool overcame a 3-0 deficit to beat the Blaugrana 4-0 at Anfield and reach the final.

Even so, Simeone and Atletico also have an enviable history for upsets in this competition. They beat Barca and Bayern Munich in consecutive knockout ties en route to the 2016 final.

Atleti also won 3-1 at Stamford Bridge to eliminate Chelsea in the 2014 semi-final. Diego Costa and Koke were in the lineup that night in west London and are still at Simeone's disposal.

So are Saul, Partey and Correa, who played when 10-man Atletico earned a 1-1 draw away to Arsenal in the UEFA Europa League semi-final in 2018. The Spanish club settled the tie at home and eventually won the trophy.

Simeone knows the formula for defying the odds in Europe. He was able to inflict just a third defeat in all competitions this season on Liverpool despite being without injured duo Joao Felix and Kieran Trippier.

If there is one team who won't be intimidated by the Anfield roar, it's Atletico.

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has played down the idea of a Philippe Coutinho comeback at Anfield and said he thinks the Brazilian's time with the English club "has passed." 

Coutinho—on loan at Bayern Munich from Barcelona—was a major success in his five-year spell on Merseyside. He joined the Reds in January 2013 for a reported £8.5 million and left for the Camp Nou in January 2018 for an initial sum of £105 million.

Few might have expected UEFA Champions League titleholders Liverpool to thrive quite so successfully since then, and Henderson told Sport (h/t Goal's Chris Burton) he doubts his former team-mate will be back:

"Phil is a good friend of mine. I think he is an exceptional footballer, he has everything, he has a great attitude and he loves football. So, of course, for me he would always be welcome, but it is not up to me.

"It is probably best to ask the manager that. The boys loved him, so if you ask any of them, I'm sure they'll say they would love to have him back.

"But I think his time here has passed; he has moved, and I hope that in the near future we will see the same Phil we saw here."

Liverpool made it to their first Champions League final in 11 years the same season Coutinho was sold, winning their sixth European crown one year later when they beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in Madrid, Spain.

Henderson and Co. bring a 14-match unbeaten run into their round-of-16 clash with Atletico Madrid, whom they face at the Wanda Metropolitano—the site of last season's triumphant final—on Tuesday.

Atletico manager Diego Simeone lauded Liverpool for their ability to improve despite selling Coutinho, who was largely viewed as their best player at the time, per the Liverpool Echo's Paul Gorst:

Simeone: "After Coutinho left, the team looked like it was breaking up, but they got better! So that says a lot about the team that has been built there."

— Paul Gorst (@ptgorst) February 17, 2020

Coutinho hasn't been so successful since he parted ways with Jurgen Klopp's side, who boast a 25-point cushion at the top of the Premier League.

The 27-year-old scored 11 goals and recorded five assists in 54 total appearances for the Blaugrana over the course of the 2018-19 campaign before he was sent to the Allianz Arena on temporary terms.

Henderson is one of numerous players who has elevated his performances under Klopp's command, while investment in players like Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker, Fabinho and Andrew Robertson has proved shrewd.

The Athletic's Red Agenda podcast recently discussed the slim chance of a Coutinho comeback on Merseyside:

🎙️ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗔 @stevehothersall, @Simon_Hughes__ & @JamesPearceLFC discuss a potential return to #LFC for Philippe Coutinho - seven years to the day since he made his Liverpool debut.

Is it likely or has he burned his bridges? pic.twitter.com/PqkMiYMEeN

— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) February 11, 2020

Bayern signed the winger on a season-long loan for €8.5 million (£7.8 million), per the Press Association (via Guardian), but it seems unlikely they'll pay the £109.8 million required to turn the deal permanent.

The official Bundesliga YouTube account highlighted Coutinho's direct goal contributions up to mid-January, including a haul of three goals and two assists during a 6-1 drubbing of Werder Bremen in December:

It doesn't seem plausible that Liverpool would be willing to pay the kind of sum Barca will likely want for Coutinho should he move again this summer, and his contract in Catalonia doesn't expire until 2023.

The South American made 201 appearances for Liverpool and was a firm fan favourite before any talk of a Barcelona transfer emerged, but both Henderson and the Reds appear to have moved on.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has said he isn't fazed by plaudits from Brazil legend Cafu, who suggested the Liverpool defender has the potential to win the Ballon d'Or during his career. 

Former AS Roma and AC Milan star Cafu, 49, is widely regarded as one of the best right-backs to have played. He paid Alexander-Arnold high praise when he told the Mirror's Simon Mullock the Liverpool man "has what it takes to become a Ballon d'Or winner."

However, Alexander-Arnold told reporters his focus is on team achievements:

"Obviously, [it's] massive praise from a legend of the game. It's something that I'm really thankful for and obviously I have to give thanks to him for them words.

"I try to be the best player I can be. I think it's obviously a team game, so it's about the players I have around me. The players I have in training, the manager, the support I have all around me that enables me to be as good as I can be.

"Accolades may or may not come in the future, it doesn't really faze me as much as maybe it does other players."

The 21-year-old played a pivotal role in Liverpool's charge to the UEFA Champions League crown last season, excelling to become arguably the best in the world in his position so early in his career.

England star Alexander-Arnold addressed the media before his side face Atletico Madrid in their round-of-16 first leg on Tuesday and emphasised the desire to win alongside his team-mates, per AFP's Tom Allnutt:

Alexander-Arnold on Liverpool: "The best players in the world want to get to finals, to win trophies and so do the best teams. If we want to be known as one of the best teams in the world we have to be getting to those latter stages again. We believe we can do it."

— Tom Allnutt (@TomAllnutt_) February 17, 2020

Jurgen Klopp's men are targeting a third successive Champions League final, having lost to Real Madrid in 2018 before beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in Madrid last year to lift their sixth European title.

The Reds sit 25 points clear at the top of the Premier League and look motivated to retain their continental crown ahead of their return to the Wanda Metropolitano:

Back in Madrid. Back for the Champions League. 😍 #YNWA #UCL pic.twitter.com/aZ81SBFOMF

— Trent Alexander-Arnold (@TrentAA) February 17, 2020

Liverpool are enjoying rare form and have suffered only two defeats across all competitions this season: Against Napoli during the Champions League group stage and to Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup.

Alexander-Arnold has played a leading part in both defence and attack during that run. He scored a sublime goal to go along with his two assists in a 4-0 win over Leicester City in December:

Cafu—who won FIFA World Cups in 1994 and 2002—lifted the Champions League trophy with Milan in 2007, two years after the Rossoneri suffered their famous penalty shootout defeat to Liverpool in Istanbul, Turkey.

The Selecao legend never managed to win the Ballon d'Or during his career despite being hailed as a pioneer in his position, and Klopp joked Cafu "thinks obviously a right-back should win" football's highest individual honour.

Former Real and Italy star Fabio Cannavaro was the last defender to win the Ballon d'Or in 2006, and 2019 runner-up Virgil van Dijk became the first defender to make the podium since then.

Liverpool hope their return to the Wanda Metropolitano brings good fortune again on Tuesday when Alexander-Arnold will look to advance his reputation as possibly the best right-back in world football.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has played down a future move to Serie A because he does not speak Italian very well.

The Reds boss told Radio Anch'io Sport (h/t Football Italia) that he would be happy to travel to Italy on holiday but does not see himself managing in the country:

"I will not come to Italy, because I want to travel after my career. A good glass of wine, I will have fun with Arrigo [Sacchi]. Either with [Carlo] Ancelotti or with [Maurizio] Sarri.

"I love your country, the weather, the fantastic food. But to do my job, I will need to know the language and my Italian is not very good.

"I would need time, maybe a year to learn Italian and then I could think about it, but who knows. On holiday I will certainly come, but to work, who knows?”

Klopp is widely regarded as one of the world's best coaches after his successes with Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga and Liverpool in the Premier League.

The German spent seven years with Dortmund, guiding the club to two titles, including a league and cup double in 2012, and into the final of the UEFA Champions League in 2013:

Jürgen Klopp's record as Borussia Dortmund manager:

Played (317)
Won (179)
Drawn (69)
Lost (69)
Win % (56.4%). pic.twitter.com/nlTEyGBKdR

— Squawka (@Squawka) May 30, 2015

Klopp then moved to Liverpool and has turned the club's fortunes around. The Reds won the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup in 2019 and have become the dominant force in English football:

Liverpool have had themselves a 2019:

Champions League winners
Super Cup winners
Club World Cup winners
98 league points from a possible 111
Unbeaten at Anfield pic.twitter.com/tK4HQc6Keh

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) December 29, 2019

Liverpool are currently 25 points clear of Manchester City in the English top flight and on course to be crowned English champions for the first time since 1990.

The Reds' 1-0 win over Norwich City on Sunday means the club are just five wins away from the title, and Klopp discussed his side's big lead at the top of the table:

"It is insane. I don't really understand it"

Jurgen Klopp, perhaps for the first time, reflects on Liverpool being so far clear at the top of the Premier League

📲 Watch full highlights for free here: https://t.co/w53klfNrOn pic.twitter.com/MiWgkVXc3Z

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 15, 2020

Liverpool moved to secure Klopp's long-term future in December. The 52-year-old signed a contract extension that will keep him at Anfield until the summer of 2024, and the Reds will be hoping he can create a long-lasting legacy during his time on Merseyside.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said he feels for Manchester City and manager Pep Guardiola after the Citizens were hit with a two-season ban from the UEFA Champions League for breaking financial fair play regulations.

Klopp told reporters following Liverpool's 1-0 win over Norwich City on Saturday that he had been shocked to hear of UEFA's decision to suspend the club from European competition.

"To be honest, I feel for Pep and the players. They did for sure nothing wrong, they just played football and sensational football. Wherever Pep has been, he has helped each league to improve their football. But then again, we all have to respect rules. I have no idea if they (City) did or not, but UEFA sees it like they didn't. We will see what happens.

"It was a shock when I saw it, somebody sent me the headline. I have no idea how these kind of things work, but what I can say as a football coach is Man City under Pep Guardiola since I've been here play sensational football. I've always admired what they do and what he is doing."

Manchester City have already confirmed they will appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport "as quickly as possible."

Guardiola's side have 10 days to appeal, per BBC Sport's Simon Stone:

Deadline for @ManCity to appeal to CAS re yesterday's decision is 10 days. Club position seems as hardline today as it was yesterday.

— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) February 15, 2020

As it stands Manchester City are not allowed to compete in the Champions League in 2020-21 and 2021-22. If they finish in the top four of the Premier League this season, the final place in Europe's elite competition will go to the club that finishes in fifth.

Nick Harris at Sporting Intelligence noted the possible outcomes of the appeal:

Man City will appeal decision at CAS, where it will be either upheld in full / upheld partially (eg 1yr ban instead of 2) or overturned. Crucially a CAS document after appeal will lay bare, in huge detail, exactly how City allegedly cheated, and were evasive.

— Nick Harris (@sportingintel) February 14, 2020

Liverpool's win moved the Reds 25 points clear of City at the top of the table.

The Citizens have no chance of retaining their Premier League title and may now focus their attentions on the Champions League instead in what could be their last crack at winning the trophy for two years.

Guardiola's side face Real Madrid for a place in the quarter-finals, and Los Blancos boss Zinedine Zidane said their ban may provide the Premier League team with added motivation:

Zidane had some things to say about Man City's Champions League ban 👀 pic.twitter.com/kE11S9B9yb

— GOAL (@goal) February 15, 2020

Manchester City are back in action for the first time since the ban was announced on Wednesday. They take on West Ham United in the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium.