Andoni Iraola, Liverpool's manager, praised the character of his players after their 2-1 victory over visitors Atletico Madrid on Wednesday evening, in the opening round of the league phase of the UEFA Champions League, stressing that the team managed to deal with a difficult start to the match and produce another comeback.
Liverpool fell behind 16 minutes into the match at Anfield. They responded, completing a remontada to snatch three valuable points at the start of their European campaign.
Iraola told TNT Sports, in comments carried by the "BBC": "It is hard to ask for more than that. I think we showed great character, especially from the players after the difficult start."
"I really loved the atmosphere, the atmosphere was amazing, and I feel lucky to experience something like this," he added.
Iraola takes responsibility for the start
Liverpool's manager admitted he had not anticipated the tactical switch Atletico Madrid made at kick-off. "I take part of the responsibility for the start, because they surprised me a little tactically," he said. "They played with five defenders, in a 5-3-2 formation."
He explained: "We were expecting something different, and we waited until we could correct things. After the break, we produced a much better performance, we pressed better, and I think we became the better team."
Praise for Mac Allister and Szoboszlai
On the goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, Iraola said: "It was a great goal from Alexis, and so was Dominik's goal. They put in a big effort and ran a lot."
The manager also addressed Mac Allister's situation after his yellow card. "Alexis was very smart. I think the first yellow card was very harsh, and they were trying to press him to get the second. He is a smart player and he managed to deal with the situation."
No injuries: just fatigue
On the condition of his players and the possibility of injuries after the match, Iraola explained: "No, it is just some cramps, especially for Bradley (Barcola)."
He added: "We are rushing his return a little. We wanted him to be available, but in the end we decided to tell him: give us everything you have, and this is the maximum you can offer. We will see how their recovery process goes before the next match."
Iraola: these are Champions League matches
The manager praised the atmosphere at Liverpool's stadium, and also spoke about the difficulty of facing Atletico, saying: "I was enjoying it. Atletico is a very good team, and they have players who are great technically, especially in midfield. It is not easy to press those players, because they have quality."
He continued: "They have played together for a long time. And we managed to produce another comeback after the Nottingham Forest and Newcastle matches. We still have something to improve at the start of matches, but I am pleased that we showed the required character."
Iraola concluded his remarks by saying: "This is the UEFA Champions League, and there are no easy matches."