Liverpool FC News: Klopp proud of the "best game of the Champions League in two years" in Barcelona

Jurgen Klopp spoke of pride in his players after Liverpool suffered a 3-0 defeat to Barcelona in the first match of the Champions League semifinals.

The Reds had more possession and recorded more kicks than their illustrious opponents, since they had a good performance in Camp Nou on Wednesday night.

However, they ended up with only a significant aggregate deficit to show their efforts as opening Luis Suarez and a bracelet Lionel Messi saw Barca take command.

Klopp declined to be very discouraged, however, with the way his team played, providing motive to cheer at the post-match press conference.

"I'm not sure we deserve much more than we can," he said. "We played a good football game, but in the end they scored three and we did not score and we just have to accept that.

"As a coach, I judge how we play. I am completely happy and proud of the boys, I think it was the best game of the Champions League that we played not only this year but also last year. Against a side like this, playing this type of football I was completely happy.

"We played through the lines, around the box, we had great chances, we caused a lot of problems. That's nice. But if you lose, it's not a big problem, it can happen as long as you score a goal. This is the problem tonight, and that makes our life not much easier to be honest.

"But from my point of view, my boys have gained a lot of respect for the way they played, and I'm very happy with how they developed. I had a lot of fun with this game, but in the end we lost, which is not really funny. I've had enough time in the business and learned to accept it. "

Klopp also refused to completely eliminate Liverpool's chances of reaching the final, despite the huge recovery in the required fortunes at Anfield.

Asked if the Reds could still progress, he added, "Because it's football, yes, but before this game we had a greater chance, let me say it like that. It's difficult.

"It's Barcelona and they can play counterattacks, which does not help us much. Because it's football, we still have to try, but that did not make our life any easier.

"It's not the night to be open-mouthed and say it was exactly what we wanted, if we scored a goal at the start and everything we needed. It will be another really difficult game. "

Liverpool would have brought an away goal home to Anfield with them if Mohamed Salah had done a little better with a final effort that hit the post.

But when asked about this opportunity, Klopp preferred to talk about the important lessons learned by his players during his humiliation in Catalonia.

He said: "Obviously, our season is for tight decisions. 3-1 would be a better result and I would feel slightly different at the moment, but it's 3-0.

"It showed that we can take chances and these kids never quit. I love them, but there is no party at the moment.

"Nobody thinks half that we have to use this game for many things, but at the moment we are disappointed with the result.

"There will be a time when I can convince the boys again about the importance of this game for our development because I really think that was our best performance in the Champions League.

"This is another important message to us, not to the outside world because they look at the outcome."