Posted by Premier League champions Liverpool were helped to get off to a winning start in the Champions League against Ajax by Nicolas Tagliafico’s own goal. The injury-hit hand of Jurgen Klopp, who were without Virgil van Dijk’s talisman, were checked by Ajax but did enough to leave Amsterdam with a clean sheet. As Tagliafico sliced Sadio Mane’s cross into his own net with 10 minutes of the first half left, it fell on Ajax.
Jurgen Klopp, manager of Liverpool, talked to BT Sport: “It was good enough to win the game. That’s what you need. I think both teams should play better football. It was crazy at times. The pitch was thick and muddy. It looked completely different three days ago and it looked different in training yesterday.”
But it was a shame we did not take our chances. Ajax had a massive one that struck a post. These things will happen when you are 1-0 up. But I’m pleased with the game overall. It wasn’t football in the sunshine, but we needed three points and we got it. The Reds, who also played Atalanta and Midtjylland in Group D, returned to Europe for the first time since 1984-85 as the English champions.
Source: BBC Sport