Atalanta made history with their second victory at Anfield, stunning Liverpool with a Gianluca Scamacca brace and Mario Pasalic in the Europa League quarter-final.
Giorgio Scalvini didn’t make the trip, with Sead Kolasinac a last-minute injury, Jose Luis Palomino ineligible and Juan Musso preferred to Marco Carnesecchi for Europe, so Marten de Roon had to drop into defence as an emergency. The hosts missed Thiago Alcantara, Joel Matip and Ben Doak, while Trent Alexander-Arnold, Diogo Jota and Alisson Becker only returned to training this week.
See how it unfolded on the Liveblog.
When these sides met in the 2020-21 Champions League group stage, Liverpool won 5-0 in Bergamo and lost 2-0 at home.
The visitors had a huge scoring opportunity in the third minute when Mario Pasalic was sent clear on goal, but the shot was incredibly charged down by goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher’s face, leaving him with a nasty bruise.
What a stop from Caoimhin Kelleher! 🤯
How are Atalanta not ahead… 🫣#UEL pic.twitter.com/1MSQo96SOh
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 11, 2024
Alexis Mac Allister turned over from a promising position and Konate threw himself in the path of a Teun Koopmeiners finish.
Darwin Nunez went for the dinked finish when clear on goal with Musso and got it wrong, then Harvey Elliott was unlucky to see his curler bounce first off the crossbar, then the inside of the far post.
Instead, Atalanta opened the scoring when Davide Zappacosta got down the right and pulled it back for Gianluca Scamacca to sweep in from 12 yards.
Gianluca Scamacca puts Atalanta ahead! ⚽️
That's 5⃣ in his last 6⃣ games now! 🔥
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK #UEL pic.twitter.com/1LqWDNB7VQ
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 11, 2024
La Dea nearly got a second with the last kick of the half, as Koopmeiners was sent completely clear on goal, his heavy touch allowing Kelleher to come flying out to parry with his chest.
Liverpool made a triple change at the break, including the introduction of ex-Roma and Fiorentina winger Mohamed Salah.
Koopmeiners saw his free kick smothered after an Endo handling offence just outside the penalty area, while Salah forced a difficult save from Musso at the near post and Nunez scooped over from a Cody Gakpo pull-back.
Atalanta doubled their lead when the Liverpool defence was caught out again, but this time Scamacca took advantage by cushioning in off the inside of the left boot totally unmarked, as Konate kept him onside from the De Ketelaere cross.
Gianluca Scamacca makes it 2⃣-0⃣ 🤯
Unbelievable scenes at Anfield 🔥
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK #UEL pic.twitter.com/HKCpZVVz3Z
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 11, 2024
Koopmeiners wasted another golden opportunity moments later, dragging the shot across the face of goal.
Mohamed Salah had the ball in the net on 79 minutes, but was offside as he met the roll across from the left.
Scamacca nodded a Koopmeiners free kick over and it was only a warning, as Atalanta did score their third at Anfield. The centre-forward won it back in midfield, Ederson saw his shot saved at full stretch by Kelleher, but only into the path of Pasalic for the tap-in.
INCREDIBLE! 🤯
Liverpool are 3-0 down at Anfield! 🔥
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK #UEL pic.twitter.com/EpWWIRycwj
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 11, 2024
Matteo Ruggeri kept the clean sheet intact with a goal-line clearance, then Luis Diaz was denied by Musso on the follow-up.
Liverpool 0-3 Atalanta
Scamacca 38, 61 (A), Pasalic 83 (A)
Player statistic
| 25' |  |
Isak Hien | ||
| 38' |  |
Gianluca Scamacca (Assist: Davide Zappacosta) |
| 60' | |
Gianluca Scamacca (Assist: Charles De Ketelaere) | ||
| 77' | |
Matteo Ruggeri | ||
| 83' | |
Mario Pasalic |
Match statistic
Atalanta has the best football in Europe ie attacking and defending simultaneously