(Reuters) – Liverpool became the first English club to win all six Champions League group stage games after beating AC Milan 2-1 on Tuesday, an achievement that left manager Jurgen Klopp “filled with pride”.
Goals from Mohamed Salah and Divock Origi cancelled out Fikayo Tomori’s first-half opener and ensured Liverpool qualified for the knockout stages with a maximum 18 points.
“Honestly I don’t feel pride a lot in football because most of the time I expect good things to happen. But tonight fills me with a lot of pride,” Klopp said.
“It’s not a prize (winning all six) and you win something. I’d have taken each points tally to go to the next round but 18 is the best so we take that as well.”
Klopp made eight changes to the starting line-up and the German said he saw “so many good football things” against Milan.
“With that many changes … the boys have to then be confident enough to show how good they are,” he added.
Liverpool, second in the Premier League, host Aston Villa on Saturday.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)