Jurgen Klopp has praised Real Madrid chiefs for playing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' over the Bernabeu's tannoy after Liverpool's defeat to the LaLiga giants.
Los Blancos progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals with a 1-0 win on Wednesday night, having won 5-2 in the first leg. Karim Benzema 's late goal was enough to secure victory against a meek Liverpool.
As the players departed the pitch following the final whistle, Liverpool anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone' was played out around the stadium. Both sets of fans applauded the song, with Madrid supporters also waving scarves over their heads to join in.
At first, there was some confusion as to why the song was being played, but it soon became apparent that it was a gesture of respect. That respect came from Madrid wanting to thank to Reds for giving time for a tribute to former Madrid president Amancio Amaro.
Amaro had died the day before the first leg, with Liverpool laying flowers in tribute to the Los Blancos legend. And Klopp has thanked Madrid for returning the gesture with one of their own.
"People told me, my staff told me after the game. It is a really nice gesture. We are two heavyweights who meet each other quite frequently in international football. I think it is clear we respect each other a lot," he said.
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"Whoever did it, whoever was doing something like that, a really nice gesture, I have to say. Absolutely. I was not angry after the game, but I was disappointed. I would be angry if we would have played better and it was close.
"And then they win because of a penalty which was not a penalty or stuff like this. But in the end that all didn't happen. Real Madrid were just the better side and I am long enough in the business to respect that."
While Klopp was thankful for the gesture, he was left far from happy with the performance of his side across the two legs. And the German admitted that the Reds had left themselves with too much to do.
"We came here with the backpack we had with the three goals difference. You need a special performance and we didn't show a special performance tonight," Klopp added.
"It was, in moments, a good performance, but Real Madrid was, for the whole game, the team in control of the game. They had the better chances, Ali had to make two sensational saves to keep us in the game and that's the reason.
"Again, if you want to go through you need to be outstanding; if you want to win the game, you need to be really good. In the end, Madrid were the better team and that's why the right team went through to the next round."
