Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has said that Real Madrid eliminated the Reds from the UEFA Champions League because his team did not show a special performance against Carlo Ancelotti’s side in Spain.

Klopp watched as Real Madrid defeated Liverpool 1-0 in the Champions League last-16 second-leg tie at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Karim Benzema scored the only goal of the match in the second half as Real Madrid advanced to the Champions League quarterfinal on a 6-2 aggregate win, having won 5-2 in the first leg at Anfield last month.

Speaking at his post-match press conference, Klopp said that Real Madrid were in control of the game for the full 90 minutes as they were the better team over Liverpool.

The German said, “We came here with the backpack we had with the three-goal difference. You need a special performance, and we didn’t show a special performance tonight.

“It was, in moments, a good performance, but Real Madrid was, for the whole game, the team in control of the game." They had the better chances; Ali [Alisson Becker] had to make two sensational saves to keep us in the game, and that is the reason.”

“In the end, Madrid were the better team, and that is why the right team went through to the next round.”