UEFA Champions League group stage
Group C will go down to the wire with the four teams still able to qualify onto the next round. Liverpool surprisingly lost at Red Star [2-0].
In the other tie, Napoli and PSG shared points for the second consecutive times. Napoli and Liverpool have both 6 points. Paris SG have 5 pints and Red Star 4. With two games left to play anyone can still qualify. next match for Liverpool at home will be crucial as they would need to beat Napoli before traveling to Paris for the last match of the group.
Liverpool coach Klopp on the disappointing defeat:
“The start was pretty intense, that was clear. Red Star wanted to strike back, which they did; they brought in a few new players, very important players for them obviously. We had the first big chance – Daniel [Sturridge] with a very big one. Each goal in a game like this leads the game in a specific direction.
We gave them too many set-pieces before they scored, so they could kind of train it in a proper match, and then they scored with a header after a corner. The second goal was kind of out of the blue; we had the ball and gave it away. That’s not cool in a game like this, in an atmosphere like this, in situation like this, if you have to play your best football in a kind of negative mood. It was a blow, of course.
We tried to change for the second half. We had moments in the box, we had scruffy situations twice with the ball on the line and they cleared the situation. If you score in a situation like that, everything can change.
But we didn’t score. In the second half we were very dominant and didn’t give a lot of counter-attacks away. We had moments, we had kind of nearly chances; the biggest chances were in the last two or three minutes, before that not enough. If – a big if – you score early in the second half the game can change, but it didn’t. So we have to admit, congratulations Red Star, well deserved. They have the three points, we have nothing.
Coach Napoli, Ancelotti, on the tie:
“It’s a useful point. Nobody expected Napoli to be top of such a tough group after four games. If we’re where we are, it means we’re doing well. I don’t know how good our chances of qualifying are. We haven’t been making any calculations so far and we’re not going to start now.
We certainly weren’t expected to be first in the group at this stage .We have two more decisive matches to come.
I don’t think there’s a more evenly balanced group anywhere else in Europe. Red Star are back in the mix too now. We have a slight advantage in head-to-head results with PSG but all four teams are still in it.”
