Atletico forward Marcos Llorente says his performance against Liverpool in the Champions League Round of 16 totally changed his life.
Marcos Llorente claims his performance against Liverpool in the Champions League last 16 changed his life and transformed his career at Atletico Madrid.
After a 1-0 win over the Reds in the first leg, Atletico traveled to Anfield in March with a spot in the quarter-finals at stake.
Georginio Wijnaldum’s first-half strike made the aggregate score 1-1 and the teams entered extra time, where Liverpool took an early lead through Roberto Firmino.
But in a dramatic turnaround, Llorente struck twice in nine minutes to put Atletico firmly on top, before assisting Alvaro Morata’s last-gasp strike during a stunning 3-2 victory.
Prior to that match, Llorente had struggled to find his feet with Atletico after his move from Real Madrid in 2019.
But his two-goal showing elevated his status at the Wanda Metropolitano and the Spaniard believes it put him on course to start the current campaign strongly with three goals in seven La Liga games.
The 25-year-old told Tuttomercatoweb: “The match at Anfield was a great turning point for my career, indeed it literally changed my life.”
“I always say, however, that in football you have to confirm yourself every day. I know that I had a good performance against Liverpool, but the important thing is to maintain this continuity of performance over time.
“I am succeeding and I am very happy with what I am doing.”
Llorente also responded to speculation he named his new dog ‘Anfield’ in the aftermath of his heroics on Merseyside.
He added: “The dog belongs to my mother, not mine. That day was really happy for her: my mother has always followed me with great affection and, when we gave her a dog a few months later, she decided to call it that.”
“The brace against Liverpool gave her unforgettable emotions.”
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