Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was not impressed with Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League playoff round first leg against Hoffenheim.
Sure his Reds won 2-1 and hold a distinct advantage heading home for leg No. 2 with a pair of away goals against a side which has never played an away match in the UCL.
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Yet defense was again suspect in a match which could’ve played out much differently had Hoffenheim’s Andrej Kramaric not taken a very poor first half penalty.
Here’s Klopp, who said his club gambled a bit too much but provided a bunch of good chances that went unfinished, via the BBC:“The result is OK. The first half is done and if you said before the game we would win, I would take the result.
“We need Anfield, what an intense game for both sides. I am looking forward to a European night at Anfield. Only the person who does not know about Hoffenheim can be surprised by this.”
Liverpool is the superior side, but its defense will continue to be tested by a solid batch of attackers next week. After hosting Palace in the Premier League on Saturday, they’ll be fine with anything better than a 1-0 loss in the second leg.
