Some Liverpool fans have agreed with comments made by Atletico Madrid defender Kieran Trippier following his team’s recent Champions League victory at Anfield.
Earlier this month, the La Liga side prevailed 3-2 after extra time to progress 4-2 on aggregate and dump the Reds out of the competition they won last year (as per BBC). Diego Simeone’s team came out on top despite having only 10 shots to Liverpool’s 34 in the second leg on Merseyside, with Reds manager Jurgen Klopp subsequently bemoaning Atletico’s defensively disciplined approach.
However, in comments made to The Mirror and shared by @LFCTransferRoom on Twitter, England right-back Trippier defended Atletico’s tactics that night, saying: “People have this perception that we’re a defensive side, but I think they’re getting too carried away with the way we played against Liverpool.
“If you go there and go toe-to-toe with Liverpool, you’re going to get beat 6-0. I don’t know what people expect. You see pundits complaining because we did defend, but did they expect us to go there and play attacking football, especially with Liverpool playing the way that they’re playing at the moment?”
Kieran Trippier: "People say we are a defensive team because the way we played against Liverpool, but what do people expect? If you go to them and face them head to head you will lose 0-6. Did they expect us to go there and play offensive when Liverpool play the way they play?" pic.twitter.com/TUfqFvPyvx
— LFC Transfer Room (@LFCTransferRoom) March 20, 2020
Atletico also put in a defensively sound performance in the first leg in Madrid, not only keeping a clean sheet against Liverpool but also preventing the Premier League leaders from even getting a shot on target at the Wanda Metropolitano (as per BBC). Unsurprisingly, Simeone’s team have the second best defensive record in La Liga with just 21 goals conceded, two more than city rivals Real Madrid (as per TransferMarkt).
These Reds fans on Twitter admitted that Trippier’s comments on the second leg at Anfield were fair:
Hes got a point tbf
— Micael (@micaeostlund) March 20, 2020
He’s right. Sucks to admit.
— lucky luke ? (@makingthislongg) March 20, 2020
Can’t really argue with that
— Andrew Dickson (@binfampho) March 20, 2020
Hes right. Reds were not doing good job. Tico were Tico. Tico prevailed. Move on.
— Juha-Matti Luokomaa (@JuhisLuokomaa) March 20, 2020
Mans got a point lol
— Robert Semple (@tiger2801) March 20, 2020
It’s hurt to admit, but yes we do need alternative gameplan to play teams who defend very deep. Same style of play will not work on different teams
— Grasma_fa (@FaGrasma) March 21, 2020
Liverpool fans, do you think Tripper’s words on Atletico’s win at Anfield were fair? Have your say by commenting below!
