RB Salzburg were unbelievably strong but we were better, asserts Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said he loved that his side were "so smart" as they beat Red Bull Salzburg 2-0 to reach the Champions League last 16 as Group E winners. The 2019 UEFA Champions League winners needed a point in Austria to progress in the Round of 16 and the Reds were successful in securing 3 points. The first half was a closely fought affair with RB Salzburg going all out to score but couldn’t find the back of the net.

Salzburg too had a chance to qualify for the knockout stages had they been able to defeat the defending champions but they eventually fell well short of the margin and with the third-place finish had to settle for Europa League football. But in his post-match interview, Jurgen Klopp went on to admit that he was very happy with the “smart” performance that his team put up against a spirited Austrian side.

“I couldn't have more respect for what Salzburg is doing. I know how people see it - you think being the best team in Austria is 'OK'. Then you see how good they are, how good they were in the first game [the Reds won 4-3 at Anfield], how good they were against Napoli and Genk and then you could come here as the current Champions League winner and misunderstand that situation. And I love it, I really love it that my team is so smart that they listen and they put in a shift in like that. Salzburg was unbelievably strong, especially in the first half, but we as well were ready for that fight,” Klopp said to the BBC.

In the other Group E clash, Napoli ran riot over Genk at the San Paolo stadium with the Neopoliatns managing a comfortable 4-0 win over the Belgian team. Salzburg drop into the Europa League last 32. Their 19-year-old striker Erling Haaland had chances to score but failed to become only the second player to score in all six Champions League appearances and the first to do it in his first six. Manager Jesse Marsch acknowledged the fight the team had put up against Liverpool.

“It was a bit like a heavyweight boxing contest. We fought really hard, but they fought back. In the end they got two more punches in. That's how close the margin is between victory and defeat in the Champions League,” said Marsch after the match