Jurgen Klopp makes comment about Marcelo Bielsa and Leeds United after Liverpool result

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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has praised Champions League opponents Inter Milan whilst comparing them to a more quality version of Leeds United.

The Reds were leading 2-0 from the first leg of their Champions League last 16 clash with Inter having won in Milan last month.

Tuesday’s second leg was all about getting the job done for Liverpool, and they managed that… just about.

Lautaro Martinez’s second-half screamer threatened to leave Anfield a little nervy, but Alexis Sanchez was almost instantly sent off.

Liverpool saw the game out, losing 1-0 on the night but going through 2-1 on aggregate.

Klopp won’t exactly be delighted with the performance, as Liverpool weren’t exactly at their best.

That was kind of the case against West Ham United too, with Liverpool needing to make sure they keep their standards high.

It just wasn’t Liverpool’s night having hit the woodwork twice through Mohamed Salah, so it isn’t exactly panic stations for the Reds.

Still, you have to praise Inter too. The Italian champions did a great job of stifling Liverpool and battling away to keep themselves in the game.

Klopp has now spoken about Inter’s performance, with Tuttomercatoweb quoting him after the final whistle as saying that Inter are ‘excellent’.

The interesting note from Klopp was that he felt Inter were similar to Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United – but that they had more quality.

Klopp didn’t like being pressed so aggressively, believing that Liverpool couldn’t handle it and gave the ball away too regularly.

“I’m not happy, but we already knew at the draw that it would be tough. We deserved it anyway,” said Klopp. “We had some problems tonight, but we deserved it. Inter are an excellent football team. They played a bit like Bielsa’s Leeds, but with more quality.”

“I didn’t like the pressing of us, we lost too many balls in strange moments. I didn’t want that, but in the end it is necessary to respect the quality of the opponents and the quality of Inter,” he added.

Klopp faced off against Bielsa four times in the Premier League and never lost, so Simone Inzaghi can at least claim that one over the Argentinian having won on Tuesday night.