Atletico Madrid produced a huge shock as they knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League on Wednesday evening.Diego Simeone's side were far from their best at Anfield and were defending for their lives at times.Georginio Wijnaldum scored the opener for Liverpool but Jan Oblak made several crucial saves to keep his side in the game.And Atletico prevailed in extra-time, with Marcos Llorente and Alvaro Morata helping them to a 4-2 aggregate win.Liverpool were the better team on the night but only have themselves to blame after missing so many chances.But that didn't stop Jurgen Klopp having a go at his opponent's tactics after the game."I don't understand, with the quality that they have, that they play this kind of football. I don't understand," he said in his post-match interview."The winner is always right. But when I see players like Koke, Saul, Llorente... the players they have, they could play proper football."But they play deep in their half and have counter-attacks."
And Michael Owen has also criticised Simeone and Atletico for their tactics.Taking to Twitter, he wrote: "Please spare me all this inevitable Simeone masterclass nonsense."There’s nothing genius about putting 11 top class footballers behind the ball. Liverpool absolutely pumped them throughout."
Bit harsh that, Michael.
Both himself and Klopp need to realise that there is no right or wrong way to play football.
Atletico defended for their lives but it's not right to say that Liverpool 'pumped them throughout'.
The final score read Liverpool 2-3 Atletico so that simply disproves that statement.
Owen also stated that Liverpool were still the best team in the world while working as a pundit on BT Sport.
"Liverpool are out now but there's no question whatsoever that every single big team around Europe has just breathed a huge sigh of relief," Owen said, per Goal.
"Liverpool are out and I've got no doubts that they're the best team in Europe. Yes, they've been beaten over two legs but they're still the best team in Europe and they were absolutely outstanding for 90 minutes I thought tonight.
"The difference probably between the two sides was the goalkeepers.
"The Madrid players will sit in there dressing room, look at each other and say 'How good were that team we've just beaten? We've never played anything like that'.
"They literally blew them away for 90 minutes but perseverance, hanging in there, and anything can happen in football."