Liverpool have kept one clean sheet in 14 home games in all competitions
Liverpool face a huge battle to stay in the Europa League after suffering a shock home defeat to Atalanta in the quarter-final first leg at Anfield.
Former West Ham forward Gianluca Scamacca scored in each half, before ex-Chelsea player Mario Pasalic added a late third goal to ensure the Italians start as strong favourites to reach the semi-finals when the sides meet in next Thursday’s return in Bergamo.
Scamacca broke the deadlock in the 38th minute after Caoimhin Kelleher allowed his low drive to creep under him.
On a deeply frustrating night for below-par Liverpool, Darwin Nunez missed two big chances, while Harvey Elliott’s curling attempt struck the bar before dropping on to the post.
Mohamed Salah, who started on the bench, forced a fine save from visiting keeper Juan Musso after Kelleher had atoned for his error to stop the unmarked Teun Koopmeiners from doubling Atalanta’s lead.
The Egyptian also had a goal disallowed for offside, but the Reds were flat and lacked urgency in their play – and punished for some dreadful defending.
Scamacca – who had just one season at West Ham before joining Atalanta last August – took advantage of being left unmarked by doubling the lead with a crisp finish on the hour.
Pasalic’s 83rd-minute strike came after Brazilian midfielder Ederson was afforded too much space to shoot and, when Kelleher made a save, the Croatian snapped up the rebound to score.
The winners of this tie will face Benfica or Marseille in the semi-finals, with Benfica establishing a 2-1 first-leg advantage to take to France next week.
Liverpool pay heavy price for poor performance
Jurgen Klopp looked bewildered at the final whistle after seeing his side comprehensively beaten by Atalanta, who sit sixth in Serie A and trail leaders Inter Milan by 32 points.
The Liverpool boss, who made six changes to the side that drew 2-2 at Manchester United on Sunday, has enjoyed some incredible European nights under the lights at Anfield during his nine years in charge.
But this could well be the last time he experiences a European home game after his side were a poor second-best to a clinical Atalanta, whose players and management team celebrated in front of their jubilant travelling fans long after the final whistle.
Liverpool had been looking to put the disappointment of Old Trafford, and dropping two points in the title race, behind them.
Instead they are now fighting to stay in Europe after one of their poorest performances of the season – and a first home loss since a Champions League last-16 tie in February 2023 when Real Madrid beat them 5-2.
Even the return of Diogo Jota from injury after a two-month absence could not inspire the Reds, who were looking to establish a comfortable cushion to take to Italy before three successive Premier League away games inside a week.
But they never got going and Klopp’s hope of ending his Liverpool reign at the Europa League final in Dublin on 22 May looks a distant dream.
Player of the match
Al MiranchukAleksey Miranchuk
Atalanta
Squad number59Player nameAl Miranchuk
Squad number90Player nameScamacca
Squad number17Player nameDe Ketelaere
Squad number77Player nameZappacosta
Squad number7Player nameKoopmeiners
Squad number8Player namePasalic
Squad number15Player namede Roon
Squad number13Player nameÉderson
Squad number4Player nameHien
Squad number22Player nameRuggeri
Squad number19Player nameDjimsiti
Squad number1Player nameMusso
Line-ups
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
62Kelleher
2Gomez5Konaté4van Dijk21Tsimikas
10Mac Allister3Endo17Jones
19Elliott9Núñez18Gakpo
62Kelleher2Gomez5Konaté4van Dijk21TsimikasSubstituted forRobertsonat 45’minutes10Mac Allister3EndoSubstituted forJotaat 76’minutes17JonesSubstituted forSzoboszlaiat 45’minutes19ElliottSubstituted forSalahat 45’minutes9NúñezSubstituted forDíazat 60’minutes18GakpoSubstitutes7Díaz8Szoboszlai11Salah13Adrián20Jota26Robertson38Gravenberch42Clark43Bajcetic66Alexander-Arnold78Quansah84Bradley
Atalanta
Formation 3-4-1-2
1 Musso
19Djimsiti4Hien15de Roon
77Zappacosta13dos Santos Lourenco da Silva8Pasalic22Ruggeri
7Koopmeiners
17De Ketelaere90Scamacca
1Musso19Djimsiti4HienBooked at 25mins15de Roon77Zappacosta13dos Santos Lourenco da Silva8Pasalic22RuggeriBooked at 77mins7Koopmeiners17De KetelaereSubstituted forAl Miranchukat 89’minutes90ScamaccaSubstitutes2Tolói3Holm10Touré11Lookman20Bakker25Adopo29Carnesecchi31Rossi33Hateboer43Bonfanti59Al Miranchuk
Live Text
Match ends, Liverpool 0, Atalanta 3.
Second Half ends, Liverpool 0, Atalanta 3.
Attempt blocked. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Andy Robertson with a cross.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Marten de Roon.
Attempt missed. Diogo Jota (Liverpool) header from very close range is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Cody Gakpo with a cross.
Attempt saved. Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Joe Gomez.
Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta).
Substitution, Atalanta. Aleksey Miranchuk replaces Charles De Ketelaere.
Attempt missed. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Diogo Jota.
Attempt saved. Luis Díaz (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Andy Robertson.
Attempt blocked. Andy Robertson (Liverpool) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is blocked. Assisted by Cody Gakpo with a through ball.
Goal! Liverpool 0, Atalanta 3. Mario Pasalic (Atalanta) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.
Attempt saved. Éderson (Atalanta) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Diogo Jota (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Isak Hien (Atalanta).
Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta).
Attempt missed. Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta) header from very close range is just a bit too high. Assisted by Berat Djimsiti with a headed pass following a set piece situation.
Hand ball by Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool).