Champions League goals and reactions: Liverpool and Chelsea lose group openers
Liverpool’s defence begins with a nightmare in Naples and Ross Barkley misses late penalty in Chelsea’s loss to Valencia
Napoli 2 Liverpool 0 Uefa Champions League group E
Liverpool’s defence of their Champions League crown began in ignominious fashion as they lost 2-0 at Napoli.
The Reds are the first holders to lose the opening game of the following campaign since AC Milan in 1994, and manager Jurgen Klopp admitted it had been a bad night for his side.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“It should hurt because there were opportunities for us,” he said. “It was an open game with a lot of counter attacks, but we didn’t finish them off and that is a problem.”
Napoli’s goals came late on with Dries Mertens scoring from the penalty spot on 82 minutes after Andy Robertson had fouled Jose Callejon. Then in stoppage time Fernando Llorente seized on a mistake from Virgil van Dijk to fire the ball past Adrian in the Liverpool goal.
“We controlled moments but had not enough chances in the end,” rued Klopp, whose side were twice denied by fine saves from Napoli’s Alex Meret.
“We made decisions that were not right and have to accept the result. It was very often the final ball that was not right.”
Asked about the penalty decision, Klopp said that in his eyes it was the wrong call by the referee. “Callejon jumps before he has any contact,” he told reporters. “But we cannot change that so we have to be critical with ourselves.”
Chelsea 0 Valencia 1 Uefa Champions League group H
It was an even worse night for the other Premier League club in action with Chelsea going down 1-0 at home to Valencia. To add to the Blues’s woes, Ross Barkley missed a late penalty that would have salvaged a share of the spoils for the London club.
As it is, Chelsea now face an uphill task to qualify for the knockout stages in a tough pool that also includes Lille and last year’s semi-finalists Ajax.
“We probably should have won, or at least got a draw,” reflected manager Frank Lampard. “We created enough chances, we had the penalty, and we conceded with their one shot on goal. It’s a harsh lesson but that’s Champions League football.”
Rodrigo put Valencia one up from a set-piece on 74 minutes but the Stamford Bridge faithful believed their boys were about to level the scores when VAR ruled that Daniel Wass had used his hand to block Fikayo Tomori’s header three minutes from time.
There was some animated discussion as to who should take the spot-kick and Barkley’s insistence won out, only for the Englishman to send the ball onto the crossbar.
“Ross is the penalty taker,” Lampard said when asked about the confusion. “He was in pre-season and scored a couple. He has been when he started. He was when he came on today and he missed it. That is the clear story.
“I don’t know what the conversation was, but Jorginho and Willian were the takers on the pitch. When Ross comes on he becomes the penalty taker.”
Today’s back pages
Liverpool and Chelsea are Champions League ‘chumps’
Champions League results and fixtures
Tuesday 17 September results
- Group E: FC Red Bull Salzburg 6 KRC Genk 2; Napoli 2 Liverpool 0
- Group F: Inter Milan 1 Slavia Prague 1; Borussia Dortmund 0 Barcelona 0
- Group G: Lyon 1 Zenit St Petersburg 1; Benfica 1 RB Leipzig 2
- Group H: Ajax 3 Lille 0; Chelsea 0 Valencia 1
Wednesday 18 September fixtures Group A
- Club Brugge vs. Galatasaray (5.55pm live on BT Sport 1)
- Paris Saint-Germain vs. Real Madrid (8pm, live on BT Sport 2 and BT Sport Ultimate)
Group B
- Olympiakos vs. Tottenham Hotspur (5.55pm, live on BT Sport 2)
- Bayern Munich vs. Red Star Belgrade (8pm, live on BT Sport Extra 2)
Group C
- Dinamo Zagreb vs. Atalanta (8pm, live on BT Sport Extra 3)
- Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Manchester City (8pm, live on BT Sport 3)
Group D
- Atlético Madrid vs. Juventus (8pm, live on BT Sport ESPN)
- Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs. Lokomotiv Moscow (8pm, live on BT Sport Extra 4)
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The teenage 'maths prodigy' who turned out to be a cheat
Under The Radar Jiang Ping defied expectations in a global competition but something wasn't right
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Puppet shows, pagodas and pho: a guide to Hanoi
The Week Recommends Vietnam's capital city blends the ancient with the new
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
'There are benefits, but not acknowledging them would tell only half of the story'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Thomas Tuchel to become next England football manager
Speed Read 'Divisive' German coach hopes to lead the men's team to victory
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
The 'Swiss model' shaking up the Champions League
In The Spotlight Uefa says the new format offers 'greater excitement' but critics say boredom is guaranteed
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The Premier League's spending cap: levelling the playing field?
Talking Point Top clubs oppose plans to link spending to income of lowest-earning club, but rule could prevent success gap from widening
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is a new English football regulator an own goal for the game?
Talking Point PM hails 'historic moment for football fans' but West Ham owner warns it could 'ruin' Premier League
By The Week UK Published
-
2023-2024 Premier League predictions: champions, relegation and golden boot
feature A look at the top flight talking points and pundit picks for the new season
By Mike Starling Published
-
‘Genuine visionary’: is Pep Guardiola the greatest of all time?
feature Spaniard has now won two trebles following Man City’s Champions League triumph
By The Week Staff Published
-
Champions League final: Man City vs. Inter predictions and preview
feature Can Guardiola’s team finally win the Champions League and complete a historic treble?
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
Man City: can ‘one of the best sides in history’ win the treble?
feature Guardiola’s Premier League champions have two more trophies in their sights
By The Week Staff Published