- Title: Klopp rues wasteful Liverpool after title defence begins with Napoli defeat
- Date: 18th September 2019
- Summary: NAPLES, ITALY (SEPTEMBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS) LIVERPOOL MANAGER, JUERGEN KLOPP, SEATED AT NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALIST LOOKING AT LAPTOP (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL MANAGER, JUERGEN KLOPP, SAYING: "We have to accept the result and do that. We are really critical with ourselves but it was not a really, really bad performance. It was a game which you can win at Napoli but we didn't because we didn't score." JOURNALIST LOOKING AT LAPTOP (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL MANAGER, JUERGEN KLOPP, SAYING: "We didn't get that because of the penalty, I'm pretty sure there are different views on that situation but when the player jumps before there is contact then it cannot be a penalty. We cannot change it anymore so that's how it is and we carry on. That's it." JOURNALIST LOOKING AT LAPTOP KLOPP SHAKING HANDS WITH INTERPRETER AND LEAVING JOURNALIST WRITING ON NOTE NAPOLI COACH, CARLO ANCELOTTI, SEATED AT NEWS CONFERENCE MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) NAPOLI COACH, CARLO ANCELOTTI, SAYING: "I did not see the (foul that lead to the) penalty, I have no idea what happened but from the bench it seemed clear enough to me but I don't want to discuss it. If (Klopp) says we can win the competition, I thank him a lot for saying it because he is a coach who knows football." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) NAPOLI COACH, CARLO ANCELOTTI, SAYING: "There is still a long way to go. As I said, now we have to think about passing the first round, it is our first goal but we are on the right track because last year we drew 0-0 in the first game. Today we started with a victory and this is positive." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) NAPOLI COACH, CARLO ANCELOTTI, SAYING: "It was a good test and we ended this match with the knowledge that this defence can do well and that this team can also play very intense matches." CAMERAMAN ANCELOTTI LEAVING
- Embargoed: 2nd October 2019 01:02
- Keywords: Group E soccer football Napoli Champions Leage Italy Napoli coac Liverpool Liverpool manager h Carlo Ancelotti Juergen Klopp
- Location: NAPLES, ITALY
- City: NAPLES, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001AX1RWVZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Juergen Klopp was frustrated by Liverpool's poor finishing after his side began their Champions League title defence with a 2-0 defeat away to Napoli, who scored two late goals at the Stadio San Paolo on Tuesday (September 17).
Dries Mertens scored from the penalty spot with eight minutes remaining after Andy Robertson tripped Jose Callejon inside the box and Napoli substitute Fernando Llorente added a second in stoppage time to put the result beyond doubt.
Klopp's side became the first competition winners to lose the opening game of their Champions League defence since AC Milan were defeated by Ajax Amsterdam in 1994 and the German was concerned by his players' wastefulness.
"We have to accept the result", Klopp said. "It was a game which you can win at Napoli but we didn't because we didn't score."
Klopp was also unhappy about the penalty awarded to the home side after Robertson was adjudged to have fouled Callejon.
"I'm pretty sure there are different views on that situation but when the player jumps before there is contact then it cannot be a penalty", he said.
Napoli's Hirving Lozano headed in from close range early on but the goal was correctly ruled out for offside, before Sadio Mane forced home keeper Alex Meret into a save and Roberto Firmino flashed a header wide before the break.
Liverpool keeper Adrian denied Mertens with a superb reaction stop early in the second half before Meret dived to direct Mohamed Salah's effort wide.
But the late double from Mertens and Llorente secured the three points for Carlo Ancelotti's side, who also beat Liverpool at home at the same stage last season.
"Now we have to think about passing the first round, it is our first goal but we are on the right track", Ancelotti told during a news conference.
"It was a good test and we ended this match with the knowledge that this defence can do well and that this team can also play very intense matches."
In the other Group E game, Salzburg made an impressive start with a 6-2 victory at home to Genk.
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