The defending champions exited the Champions League yesterday as a defensive Atletico team came from two goals down to equalize and take the match to extra time.

Alvaro Morata scored the winner deep in extra time to send a rigid and clever Atletico team to the quarter-finals 4-2 on aggregate.

Despite a dominant second leg display, Jurgen Klopp’s men were undone by a blunder from keeper Adrian who was standing in for the wounded Alisson. Marcus Llorente’s double pulled back Atletico into the contest.

Wijnaldum’s fine finish and Roberto Firmino’s first Anfield goal of the season came in the extra time after 90 minutes of normal play only to be hit by quick-fire goals from Atletico subs Marcos Llorente and Alvaro Morata.

The visitors first came via a dreadful attempted clearance by Adrian, proving that even a team as dominant and relentless as the premier league’s runaway leaders can still drop out of the elite competition due to the tinniest slip-up, goalkeeper errors have haunted Liverpool one too many times in the competition.

The Premier League leaders will still have a successful campaign, a first league title in 30 years was always the priority and it will probably be achieved with a record point totals.

But this was the first time Klopp has lost a two-leg European tie in his Liverpool reign and it will sting on Merseyside. The first leg defeat at the Wanda Metropolitano last month inflicted by an early Saul Niguez goal was the start of Liverpool’s wobble making it three defeats in four games.

Mazi Chidubem Ugwu reporting, Obinwannem News