Liverpool ‘will come back’ after disappointing end to stellar season | Soccer News

SAINT-DENIS (France): A season that will forever be remembered by Liverpool fans ended with a night that will be remembered for all the wrong reasons as Jurgen Klopp’s men were beaten 1-0 by Real Madrid in the Champions League final in Paris.

The result put salt in the wounds of thousands of supporters who were excluded from the Stade de France amid chaotic scenes.

Kick-off in the showpiece of European club football has been delayed by more than half an hour.

Fans described being fired upon by police tear gas, who tried to disperse the crowd around the perimeter of the stadium.

“This is the greatest game in European football and fans should not have to experience the scenes we witnessed tonight,” Liverpool said in a statement.

Earlier in the evening, Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish laid a wreath in honor of the 39 people killed in the Heysel disaster before the European Cup final in 1985.

The fact that another tragedy was averted despite the security breaches blamed by UEFA on the counterfeit tickets was the only consolation of the evening for Liverpool as their season on the pitch ended with a denouement.

Less than a week ago, the Reds were on the verge of an unprecedented quadruple.

Instead, they have to settle for the League and FA Cup double after missing out on the biggest prizes in the Premier League and Champions League.

Manchester City clinched the English title by one point after a dramatic final day when Pep Guardiola’s men came from 2-0 down to beat Aston Villa 3-2.

“These boys have played an outstanding season,” Klopp said. “The two competitions that we couldn’t win, we didn’t win them by the smallest possible margin.

“City had a point better and tonight Madrid had a goal better.”

Vinicius Junior scored the only goal as he crept past the far post to head home Fede Valverde’s cross shot.

But the fact that it was Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois who was named man of the match says more about how the match unfolded.

“When the goalkeeper is the man of the match, then something is wrong with the other team,” Klopp added. “They scored a goal and we didn’t. That’s the simplest explanation in the world of football.”

For the third time this season, Klopp’s men failed to draw in the final.

Twice they beat Chelsea on penalties after 120 minutes without a goal at Wembley.

But Madrid weren’t so forgiving as they capped a remarkable run in the competition to lift a 14th European Cup.

Klopp has won just one of his four European Cup finals.

Four years ago, Real also won a clash between the sides 3-1 in Kyiv.

Liverpool bounce back a year later to win their sixth European crown in Madrid.

And Klopp is confident his side won’t stop reaching the showpiece for the third time in five years.

“The difference between now and 2018 is that I see us coming back,” he said. “I wished but I couldn’t know. They have an amazing attitude, they’re a fantastic group and we’ll be back.”