Jürgen Klopp has taken Liverpool to four European finals, one Champions League trophy and places that players and fans alike may never have imagined possible but a journey that pulsated and punished is over. There will be no fairytale ending in Dublin after one more feat of escapology proved beyond Klopp’s team against Atalanta.
The 91st European game of Klopp’s nine-year Liverpool reign was also his last despite a vastly improved display and win against Gian Piero Gasperini’s side. “If we fail, then let’s fail in the most beautiful way,” Klopp had said on the eve of the Europa League quarter-final second leg. Liverpool delivered to a degree. Mohamed Salah struck an early penalty that decided the contest but could not transform the tie, although it looked possible during a first half in which Atalanta creaked and the Egypt international missed an excellent chance to double Liverpool’s advantage. Atalanta regained their composure in the second half to secure only the second European semi-final place in their history and revel in one of their greatest nights.
The improbable seemed probable again when Liverpool were handed an early penalty by the Atalanta defender Matteo Ruggeri. Trent Alexander-Arnold also played an instrumental role in a lead that sent a wave of optimism through the visiting ranks and preyed on the worst fears of the hosts.
Alexander-Arnold was one of six changes Klopp made from the first leg, a tacit admission of getting things wrong at Anfield perhaps, and it was his exquisite pass out of central defence that sent Luis Díaz clear down the left. When the Colombia winger’s cross was headed clear by Ruggeri it was the Liverpool right-back who suddenly appeared to collect outside the penalty area. Alexander-Arnold’s cross struck the defender’s trailing hand and the French referee François Letexier was perfectly placed to spot the offence. Salah drilled the resulting spot-kick into Juan Musso’s bottom left hand corner as the Atalanta goalkeeper dived to the right.
Stadio di Bergamo witnessed a role reversal of the first leg at Anfield. Now it was Liverpool playing with a vibrancy and clear sense of purpose as they swarmed over the Italian side. The lethargy of their last two performances was gone. Atalanta were now the ones making careless mistakes, posing little threat and being dragged into positions they did not want to go by Liverpool’s intelligent movement. The visitors threatened repeatedly and had eight attempts on goal, three on target, in the first half. Atalanta had three attempts on goal and none on target, although Teun Koopmeiners had a goal disallowed for offside shortly before the interval.