Yet a passage of play six minutes later exemplified why tonight would indeed be different. He was substituted at half-time as a precaution when these teams met last year and the same fate befell him again - except this time he had already turned the match irrevocably in Liverpool's favour.Ītletico targeted Mane from the kick-off and he was booked after 15 minutes having reacted to a tackle by Rodrigo De Paul, by which point he had already been on the receiving end of several rough challenges and beginning to get riled. Nobody encapsulated Liverpool's resolute determination better than Sadio Mane. And Atletico's return, with ex-Liverpool striker Luis Suarez among the Spanish side's ranks, sharpened minds still further.ĭiego Simeone's side was typically combative and disruptive, players falling cheaply to the ground and others contesting every decision with extreme exasperation regardless of the incident's severity. The denial of celebrating such a landmark moment with the club's fanbase still drives Klopp to prime everyone around him for nights like Tuesday's 2-0 win. Upon the resumption in June, matches were staged behind closed doors which saw Liverpool claim their first Premier League title in 30 years in an empty Anfield before small numbers of supporters returned to witness a late scramble for a top-four finish last season.
ESPN+ guide: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, FA Cup, more It was the last match to be played in England before a national lockdown and football's three-month hiatus. The Reds blew a two-goal lead to crash out in extra-time of a last-16 tie that many felt should never have been played due to the rising coronavirus cases then engulfing Spain, Jurgen Klopp among them. LIVERPOOL, England - Liverpool were determined to ensure it was going to be different this time.Ītletico Madrid's last visit to Anfield in March 2020 was a calamitous affair on and off the field. Liverpool's joyous win ensured Atletico Madrid couldn't play Anfield spoiler again
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