German manager Jürgen Klopp of English club Liverpool pointed out that his team's exit from the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League could help them focus on competing for the Premier League title. At home, Liverpool lost 3-0 to Atalanta in the first leg, but won 1-0 thanks to a penalty from Mohamed Salah in Italy last night. However, Klopp's team was eliminated from the tournament, losing 3-1 on aggregate over the two legs.
Klopp said: "I feel disappointed that we didn't qualify for the semi-finals, but I am not frustrated or angry. Now we can focus on the Premier League, and that is what we will do." The experienced German coach added: "We have a few days to recover before facing Fulham, which won't be easy, but we will do our best. This is the competition we will focus on now."
In response to a question about Mohamed Salah's recent performance, Klopp stated that he does not feel any concern regarding the Egyptian player's level of play. Klopp continued: "The penalty execution was more than excellent. A great penalty. After that, the second opportunity where he clearly wasn't lucky, but it's not the first time he has missed a chance like that." He added: "I do not feel worried about any specific aspect. This is what attackers do. This is what happens to strikers. That is the case."
