It’s not quite a mountain but Liverpool certainly face an uphill struggle to qualify for the Champions League semi-final.

Jurgen Klopp’s side lost 3-1 to Real Madrid in the first leg of their quarter-final and now need a perfect performance at Anfield to progress to the last four.

In truth, Liverpool can’t have too many complaints regarding the scoreline.

Real Madrid were the better side on the night and the Reds can perhaps consider themselves fortunate to still be in the tie.

We say ‘can’t have too many complaints’ but Klopp certainly had a complaint or two come full-time - and they were targeted towards German referee Felix Brych.

Klopp felt the official didn’t give Mane any decisions all night - most notably seconds before Real Madrid’s second goal of the night.

Mane went down under a shove from Lucas Vazquez but Brych waved play on.

Replays showed that Liverpool really should have had a free-kick and the Real Madrid man could well have been in trouble as he was the last man.

Less than a minute later, the home side went 2-0 ahead through Marco Asensio.

It was a crucial decision.

However, Klopp felt that Brych’s treatment of Mane continued for the rest of the match with the Senegalese going to ground on numerous occasions without getting a free-kick.

“The situation with Sadio, I have to say what the referee did tonight I don’t understand. For me that was something personal, because he dealt with the situation with Sadio, which is a clear foul, like it was a dive or something," he said, per Goal.

"And from that moment whenever Sadio went down, he couldn’t get anything anymore. That’s just not right.

“That’s what I told him after the game, that I just thought he was unfair with Sadio, and that’s how it is.

“It doesn’t change anything at all. He didn’t lose the game, we were not good enough, but in these moments you need just an OK ref. That would have been enough.”

BT Sport pundit, Peter Crouch, added: "It's definitely a foul on Mane beforehand. No eyes on the ball. It's a ridiculous decision."

Klopp may have a point…