'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABeAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwkQAAICAwADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQABREGEyEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIFEQACAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAwIhAAUSMVH/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AM+/HRqo9dPp7et917ZWoxWvLZdPQE+HsfOOQfo7k7Hi1KvYlhezMXjkZGKovCVPDzGMra9CmSbzBNjsnAyciIiqHmf/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Jurgen Klopp has spotted some positives in Liverpool's 5-2 loss at home to Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League Round-of-16 tie. The German manager claims they played their best football this season in the first half.
Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah helped Liverpool take a 2-0 lead inside the first 14 minutes of the match but the Reds could not get the win at Anfield. Real Madrid hit back with five goals.
Klopp spoke to the media after the match and admitted that he had seen some positives despite the loss. He said:
"Everything was pretty obvious. We gave all five goals away. All five. It means we could have done better there. But they were obviously all different. The start of the game, in our situation, where we are, it's really important that we see positive steps. I think the first half, besides the two goals we conceded, was the best we had played, probably in the whole season. I liked that a lot."
The German continued:
"The two goals we have to defend better. For the second it's clear we can defend better. It's slapstick, they equalise pretty much like the second goal we scored. The first goal we concede we have to defend better. We have enough players around, nobody puts a foot in. It's very tight and it's just a world-class moment from Vinicius as well."
Klopp went on to say:
"But I think it's obvious that we can defend that better. Half-time, where are the positives? Okay, this happened. We have to play in this and that space. If we keep doing that, they will have problems. But then we start by conceding the third goal which is a horrible goal. We lost the momentum in that moment and never really got it back."
Liverpool facing trophyless season after domestic double
Jurgen Klopp almost guided Liverpool to a quadruple last season but fell short in the Premier League and Champions League.
However, his side defeated Chelsea in both the domestic cup competitions - the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup - to finish the season with two silverware.
This season, they are already out of the domestic cups, while sitting eighth in the Premier League table.
