Jurgen Klopp explains how ‘exceptional’ Liverpool controlled Zlatan

Ibrahima Konate displayed an impressive performance against AC Milan on Tuesday.

Liverpool defeated AC Milan in their Champions League game on Tuesday. The Reds rested some of their key players but still managed to display a dominant performance.

After Fikayo Tomori’s opener for Milan in the 28th minutes, Liverpool managed to mount a successful comeback. Two goals from Mohamed Salah and Divock Origi sealed the victory for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Milan did their best to remain in the competition by scoring in the second half. However, a solid performance from Nat Phillips and Ibrahima Konate prevented the hosts from scoring. The Liverpool pair controlled Milan’s attacking resources, limiting their midfielders’ possibilities for passing.

In a post-match interview, the Liverpool boss praised the pair for their performance.

When asked how his team managed to control Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Klopp responded (via Metro): “That’s football actually, that’s what you try, you organise a football team like that, that he cannot get the balls he needs or he wants.

“I really thought we defended exceptionally well. The plan of Milan is playing through the centre obviously, playing through the half-spaces. This is the spaces between the winger and our eights.

“They don’t play immediately to Zlatan, they try to bring it to the other offensive player in these spaces, and we made that really complicated because of the disciplined work of all the players.

“When you then get only the other balls, not the controlled ones then it’s easier to defend. But I have to say that Nat Phillips and Ibou Konate played an exceptional game, an absolutely exceptional game.

“How they defended that tonight is outstanding and I am really, really proud of the boys.”

Liverpool will face Aston Villa on Saturday as Steven Gerrard returns to Anfield, leading their opponents. The Reds are only one point behind league leaders Man City on top of the table.