Liverpool’s veteran midfielder James Milner knows The Reds now face a massive uphill task to have any chance of reaching this year’s Champions League final after losing 3-0 to Barcelona in Spain.
Jurgen Klopp’s team’s 10-game winning streak came to an end at the home of Barcelona and Lionel Messi on a night where more clinical finishing could have seen The Reds take at least a draw from the game.
Speaking to beIN Sports after the defeat, Milner said:
“I think at this stage of the competition the result is the only thing that matters really.
“Maybe we can take heart that we created chances in the game and we should have probably taken a couple of those, but it didn’t happen and they are a top team who are always going to create chances and they took them.
“We can be proud of our play, but at this stage of the competition you need to get the result.”
Milner also commented on Liverpool’s failure to score an away goal and how that leaves the team in a precarious position ahead of the return leg at Anfield next Tuesday.
“With the score at 3-0, we needed a goal desperately at that point. But before that, we were confident that we would score, and it’s important to get a goal when you are away from home in the first leg.
“With the players they have got it will be tough to keep a clean sheet [at Anfield] but we’ve defended well all year, so if we can keep a clean sheet and start well then let’s see what happens.
“It’s tough to take at this stage of the competition and with the performance we put in. But when you come to places like this with the players they have, it’s always going to be tough.”
Liverpool travel to face Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle United team on Saturday night where they need a win to keep their slim chances of a Premier League title victory alive.
Milner, Liverpool’s vice-captain, discussed the need for the team to bounce back with a win, not only to stay in the PL title race but to get some confidence flowing again before the second leg with Barcelona on Tuesday.
“We’ve obviously got to bounce back first for the weekend, pick ourselves up again after this disappointment. But I think we’ve all seen the heart in the dressing room before and the drive, the team spirit. We will be ready to go at the weekend.
“Hopefully we can get the result and get a bit of positive feeling going into the second leg.”
It has been a hell of a season so far. Who’s to say there won’t be any more twists in the coming weeks?
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