Last night Liverpool crashed out of the Champions League in heartbreaking fashion. The Reds utterly battered Atletico Madrid and were thoroughly unlucky to exit the competition, with an archaic away goal rule playing its part alongside goalkeeping blunders. Liverpool’s youth players will suffer from the Champions League exit.
The Liverpool exit from the Champions League could dash some youth players’ hopes. (Photo by James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images)
The Reds went ahead on the night in the first half.
Gini Wijnaldum scored yet another header, flicking the ball past a helpless Jan Oblak after a superlative Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain cross.
The game finished level on aggregate after 90 minutes, early on in extra time Roberto Firmino put The Reds in the lead but just moments later Adrian threw the game away with a lapse ball at the back.
The Liverpool exit from the Champions League means that the Premier League is now the only competition left for The Reds.
With the league pretty much wrapped up, The Reds would likely have given youth players a run out in domestic competition in order to rest the first team for more important midweek European games.
Now, with no other priorities, there’s no need to rest the first team. Whilst Jürgen Klopp may still give the youth a run out here and there when the league is a dead rubber, he doesn’t need to and he will likely focus on finishing the domestic campaign as strongly as possible.
Curtis Jones and Neco Williams may have to wait until next season to see their first team involvement upped. Fingers crossed they’ll still get some playing time.