The Reds’ trip to Serbia served as a painful reminder that there is no place for complacency in the Champions League. Liverpool fell to Red Star Belgrade 2-0 at the Red Star Stadium.
Few positives can be taken from a performance that was woefully lacking all over the pitch. Having batted Belgrade aside in their previous European match, the away leg looked a complete proposition altogether. From the opening whistle, Liverpool never looked like a side capable of taking control of the group.
The home side took every opportunity to turn the match into a scrap and both Liverpool and the referee seemed more than obliging. Red Star dragged the Reds into a physical battle that left Liverpool looking soft, slow, and short on solutions. The hosts won individuals duels all over the pitch.
Still, Liverpool had chances and could have taken the home crowd out of the context but repeatedly failed to even get their shots on target. Daniel Sturridge blazed a gilt-edged opportunity high and wide in the first half, which could have changed the evening entirely. Instead, the Serbian club took control. Milan Pavkov turned a corner into the net and moments later struck from distance to double the advantage. After that, they simply dug in and rode out the rest of the match.
Here are four findings from the match.
