Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes that Liverpool narrowly missing out on the Premier League title impacted their performance during Saturday's Champions League final loss to Real Madrid.
Jurgen Klopp’s side went down 1-0 at the Stade de France after a Vinicius Junior second-half goal. The Reds dominated large spells of the game but couldn’t find a way past man-of-the-match Thibaut Courtois, who faced 23 shots, nine of which were on target. In contrast Madrid only mustered four shots on goal all game.
And Wenger believes the Premier League’s final day dramatics when Manchester City produced an incredible comeback to win the comeback had an impact on how Liverpool played in Paris..
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“I wonder after watching that game if the disappointment of last week, being beaten [to the title] in the last game of the season had somewhere dropped a level of confidence,” the Frenchman told beIN Sports.
Wenger also pointed the finger at Reds talisman Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, who he believed were under par against Madrid. He said: “You felt as well that Salah, Mane, the guys who make the difference, didn't have the same freshness, the same belief that they can make the difference. Overall they came short, we must be honest, because of Courtois.
“I felt at some stage that if Liverpool came back to 1-1 they'd come back and win the game. But they never found that special moment where they could finish their chances off, and a lot of that is down to Courtois.”
