Napoli 4-1 Liverpool: Reds walk alone into Champions League history
Klopp's men suffer heaviest defeat by an EPL team in UCL opening game
Liverpool were crushed 4-1 by Napoli Wednesday night at the Estadio Diego Maradona in Naples in their opening group game of their 2022/23 UEFA Champions League campaign.
It is the heaviest defeat suffered by an English Premier League side in their opening game of a UEFA Champions League campaign since Arsenal lost 3-0 to Internazionale in 2003-04.
It was also the was Reds’ joint-heaviest defeat overall in the competition.
Napoli got on to a perfect start when Piotr Zielinski converted a fifth minute penalty after his shot was deflected just wide by James Milner’s very wide arm.
With the goal it means Jurgen Klopp’s side have conceded the first goal in five games in all competitions this season, the joint-most of any Premier League side along with Southampton.
It could have been two eight minutes later but Victor Osimhen failed to convert from the spot after Napoli were awarded a second penalty.
Virgil van Dijk was late on Osimhen and stamped on his foot, the decision this time given after a VAR review. This time Osimhen wanted to take it and it was parried by former Roma goalkeeper Alisson.
The Liverpool defender has now given away two penalties in his last seven appearances for the Reds after a run of 150 matches without giving away a penalty in all competitions for the club.
