Liverpool suffered a 2-1 defeat in their final game of the UEFA Europa League Group E against Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium, despite fielding a different lineup.
Before the last game, Jurgen Klopp’s team had the best record and a spot in the round of 16. However, they faced a setback. Nevertheless, Klopp capitalized on this and assembled the youngest European starting eleven in the club’s history.
As expected, the Belgian team dominated the game. In the thirtieth minute, Mohammed Amoura took advantage of a high defensive line. He turned Caoimhin Kelleher and put the ball in the empty net to score. However, Liverpool had limited chances. They managed to tie the score in the 40th minute with a strong shot from Jarell Quansah after a right-wing corner.
Just before halftime, Cameron Puertas made a low shot. It beat Kelleher at his right-hand post, giving Union SG the lead again. The goal Puertas scored again in the second half was disallowed for an offside in the build-up.
Consequently, Liverpool had their third loss in their last 35 games across all competitions. They struggled to create much of a threat in the final third.
As a result, Liverpool finished 12 points ahead of Toulouse. Toulouse secured second place and advanced to the UEFA Europa League play-offs. Meanwhile, LASK finished last in Group E. Union SG claimed the third position and is heading to the UEFA Europa Conference League playoffs.
Moreover, the top team in the Premier League is Liverpool. They will now focus on their match against Manchester United on Sunday at Anfield. They are likely to welcome back several key players.
About the UEFA Europa League
UEFA gives the trophy known as the UEFA Cup, often called the Coupe UEFA. They award it to the football team that wins the UEFA Europa League every year. Before the 2009–10 season, both the competition and the trophy were known as the “UEFA Cup.”
In the past, teams could keep the previous trophy for a year before returning it to UEFA. Before the 2009–10 season, this was the case. The competition changed its name to the UEFA Europa League. After returning it, they could keep a smaller model of the original trophy, four-fifths in size. If a team won the trophy three times in a row or five times overall, they could keep it forever.
Now, according to the new rules, UEFA keeps the trophy at all times. Moreover, every winner of the competition gets a replica of the trophy in full size. A team will get a multiple-winner badge if they win three consecutive times or five times overall.
The 2023–2024 season will kick off the 53rd edition of UEFA’s secondary club football competition in Europe. Additionally, this season also signifies the 15th since they changed the competition’s name. They changed it to the UEFA Europa League.
However, the championship game will take place at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. Consequently, the team that wins the competition will secure a spot. They will secure a spot in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League for the 2024–25 season.
Additionally, they will have the honor of playing. They will play in the 2024 UEFA Super Cup against the winning team of the 2023–24 UEFA Champions League.
Why Jurgen Klopp Substituted Ibrahima Konate at Half-time in Europa League Loss
Jurgen Klopp made it clear that Ibrahima Konate’s halftime substitution in Liverpool’s Europa League loss was a planned decision. The decision was not injury-related. Klopp wanted to explain that they had already decided to make this change before the game. Klopp stated, “They just wanted to share the intensity.
He chose to split playing time between Joe Gomez and Ibou, giving each of them 45 minutes in midfield. Consequently, they made this decision regardless of how the game turned out.
They planned the adjustments, and they put the plan into action. Moreover, the underlying idea was that if Jarell could play through, he would do so.
Furthermore, Klopp commended Jarell Quansah, expressing confidence that the young defender can assume a more significant role in Matip’s absence. Additionally, Klopp emphasized the importance of Quansah building connections with experienced players like Konate and Gomez throughout the season.
“That was significant,” Klopp emphasized. Despite not playing poorly against Crystal Palace, it was not ideal to be involved in a strange penalty. Moreover, Klopp expressed satisfaction that Quansah scored a goal today, showcasing a positive side. He appreciated the boys’ commitment and effort.
Furthermore, Klopp stressed the team’s adaptation and collaboration, emphasizing the players’ need to get used to each other. He expressed satisfaction with Quansah’s performance alongside Konate and Gomez, particularly in defending against counterattacks. Klopp concluded, “He is happy for Quansah.”
Liverpool’s League Journey Ends with Away Loss to Union Saint-Gilloise
In the 32nd minute, Mohamed Amoura scored a goal by getting past goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher. This put Jurgen Klopp’s young team behind 0-1. Consequently, the twenty-year-old center-half Jarell Quansah equalized with a strong shot from inside the penalty area. This marked his first goal for Liverpool.
However, despite Quansah’s effort, Cameron Puertas scored a close-range goal just before halftime. This gave the home team the lead back and secured the win.
Moreover, even though Puertas thought he scored again with a well-struck shot, the goal was disallowed for handball. This happened after a video assistant referee check. Despite the defeat, Liverpool topped Group E with 12 points from six games. In contrast, Union Saint-Gilloise, leading the Belgian league, finished third. As a result, they will move on to the Europa Conference League play-offs in February.
Currently leading the Premier League, Liverpool can now shift their focus to other competitions. Since they won’t have any more European games until the last 16 in March, they have crucial upcoming home matches.
These include facing West Ham in the Carabao Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday. They also have a match against Arsenal in the league on December 23 and another against Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday.
