‘World class’… Sparta Prague manager blown away by the ‘pure quality’ he saw from Liverpool

Add as preferred source on Google

Liverpool were in total control as they swept Sparta Prague aside in the Europa League last night.

Already 5-1 up from the first-leg in Prague last week, the Reds had one foot in the quarter-finals before a ball had even been kicked. 14 minutes into yesterday’s game, one foot became two, as Liverpool raced into an early four goal lead.

Sparta steadied the ship a little for the remainder of the game, but it was done. No way back.

Following such a disappointing display from his side, the Czech side’s manager could have been forgiven for raging after the match. But speaking to the press via Beanymansports, Brian Priske was as humble and classy as any manager who’s just been on the end of a drubbing could possibly be.

“We faced a world class team,” Priske raved. “Big respect to Liverpool and how they played these two legs, how they approached the game, put in the pure quality they have.

“Of course, I and we are disappointed in the personal mistakes that we made, both in the first game and definitely also here in the first 20 minutes but we faced a world class team.”

Priske hails world class Liverpool

You have to hand it to Priske. It wasn’t just this little snippet, his full interview was rammed full of class and respect towards Liverpool.

Obviously, the Reds had earned that out on the pitch over the two legs. But not every manager would be quite so magnanimous in defeat. In fact, many often go the other way when facing a battering.

In truth, Liverpool do deserve their praise, but Priske should also be frustrated with his own team.

Looking at the 11-2 aggregate scoreline, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Liverpool progressing was always inevitable. But that wasn’t really the case.

Of course, the Reds have more quality than their Czech opponents. The difference between the cost of the two squads assembled is absolutely huge. Liverpool were massive favourites.

But Sparta gave them real problems during the first-leg. Had they had their shooting boots on, Priske’s team could easily have scored three or four at home last week. That would have made things very interesting indeed at Anfield.

It wasn’t just their finishing that let them down, though. The defending is what really cost them across the two matches. You simply cannot come to Anfield and try to play it out like Sparta did. Sometimes, fine. But not every time you’ve got the ball at the back. You’re bound to be punished. Manchester City couldn’t do it last week, so what chance did Prague have?

Some would say that’s on the manager, and perhaps that’s fair enough. After his kind words last night though, we wish Priske and Sparta all the best for the rest of the season.