As the Liverpool team bus pulled away from the Stadium Aurelio Pereira on Tuesday afternoon, there was a tangible sense of what might have been.
"A horrible way to end our run," says coach Barry Lewtas. "Personally I feel sorry for the lads."
Liverpool's under-19 side had every reason to be aggrieved after their UEFA Youth League hopes were dashed by a controversial 65th-minute goal from Sporting forward Rodrigo Ribeiro that was allowed despite Reds centre-back Lee Jonas clearly being impeded as he looked to clear.
