Alisson Becker: We can improve but we're really happy with the win
Alisson Becker was delighted with a 'really important' set of three points after Liverpool beat Atletico Madrid 3-2 away from home in the Champions League.
Mohamed Salah's penalty 12 minutes before time secured the victory for the Reds following a thrilling spectacle in the Spanish capital.
A Salah finish and Naby Keita's volley saw the visitors surge into a two-goal lead after 13 minutes, before Atletico staged a fightback.
Antoine Griezmann bagged a brace to level the Group B encounter but was then sent off early in the second half, and Salah then won the tie with his spot-kick.
Having been named UEFA Man of the Match for a number of vital saves throughout, Alisson attended a press conference post-match – read on for a summary of the goalkeeper's comments...
On summing up the game...
It was exciting to play. These are the kind of matches that a top player wants to play, a top team wants to play. It's always a tough place to come. I came here before twice and I lost both games. And today getting the victory here, three points is really important for me, for us and for the things that we want to achieve. We just need to focus a little bit more in the game because we know that we can improve. We did a really good match on Saturday but we can't rely on the last game. We need to look at what we did good, what we didn't do good, so we can improve as well.
Bitesize: Atletico Madrid 2-3 Liverpool
On Salah's current form and the overturned Atletico penalty when it was 3-2...
I'm really happy for him, he's a fantastic player. He's showing on the pitch all the time, making really nice goals, not just easy goals. But he contributes a lot for the team as well – not only scoring but helping in the defensive phase, playing for the team. He is a hungry player, he's a hungry striker. I'm really happy for him. I hope that he continues that. About the penalty, I was quite sure that it was not a penalty. I have good vision from the moment and I went straight to the referee to tell him because sometimes the referee doesn't have a good [view]. I think the VAR checked it really good, in a good way – this is my point of view. You have the images, you can know better and the referee made a good decision. It was not easy, there was a lot of pressure from the supporters, from the opponent as well but I think it was the right decision.
On what was said at half-time after letting a two-goal lead slip...
I believe the boss is a maestro in talking in the right moments, the right things. I think he brought us in the game again in the changing room and also our attitude changed a little bit in the second half. It is not easy when you are 2-0 up – I think it was before 15 minutes – and then you concede a goal and you know that it will be hard. We came here, we knew that it wouldn't be easy to play against Atletico and the game shows it for everyone, for us and for everybody who watched the game. So, I'm happy that we could score the third goal and don't concede anymore and control more the situations, but there is a gap to improve as well when we have one player more than them on the pitch. You must create more chances but, as I said, it is not easy when they park the bus in front of the goal. We are happy for the three points.
On the long wait for the Atletico penalty to be overturned...
I just try to stay focused in the moment because I was quite sure that he would overturn the decision. But there was a chance that it still was a penalty, so I just try to stay focused and remember what I saw from the opponent to do the right choice in the penalty to try to save it. It's not easy to wait long but when it's a fair result, when it's a fair decision, you are happy with this – even if it takes sometimes longer than the other times.