LONDON – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp had no complaints as his side crashed out of the Europa League on April 18, after a 1-0 win at Atalanta was not enough to overturn their 3-0 quarter-final, first-leg deficit.
Bayer Leverkusen’s 1-1 draw with West Ham United, meanwhile, took the newly crowned German champions into the last four.
In Klopp’s last season as Liverpool boss, the Reds were hoping to give him a memorable farewell in the final in Dublin.
“It’s mixed emotions. We are out, but I’m happy with the game. I loved the commitment and the desire, but it was clear we gave ourselves a massive hurdle. We wished we could have gone to Dublin, but that hasn’t happened,” he said.
“Disappointed that we did not go through, but not frustrated or angry or something like that. Now we can focus on the league and that’s what we will do.”
Mohamed Salah converted a seventh-minute penalty in the second leg in Bergamo after Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross hit Matteo Ruggeri’s arm. However, Klopp’s men could not breach the stubborn Atalanta defence again.
It has been a brutal week for Liverpool, whose English Premier League title challenge was damaged by a shock home defeat by Crystal Palace on April 14.
While Klopp contemplates his failure to land the one major trophy to elude him during his nine years with the Reds, Atalanta can dream of winning the second silverware in their 116-year history after the 1963 Coppa Italia.
Bidding to reach their maiden European final, Gian Piero Gasperini’s team will face Marseille – who beat Benfica 4-2 on penalties – in their first continental semi-final since the 1988 Cup Winners’ Cup.
Fresh from clinching their first Bundesliga title last weekend, Leverkusen survived a scare from West Ham before advancing 3-1 on aggregate. In the semi-finals, Xabi Alonso’s side will play AS Roma, who saw off Italian rivals AC Milan 3-1 on aggregate.
Leverkusen won the first leg 2-0, but West Ham made the perfect start in east London when Michail Antonio met Jarrod Bowen’s pinpoint cross with a close-range header in the 13th minute.
The Hammers eventually ran out of steam and Jeremie Frimpong struck in the 89th minute for Leverkusen with a shot that deflected in off Aaron Cresswell.
“The momentum was with West Ham,” Alonso said.
“To be honest, we were not at our best in the first half. I’m happy to go through. In the Europa League you always have tough moments.”
Leverkusen are into their second successive Europa League semi-final.
West Ham’s exit means for only the third time in the 21st century, England will have no teams in the Champions League and Europa League last four. AFP
