1. Napoli prove Liverpool are not unbeatable
Liverpool entered the tournament fresh off of winning the title last year against Tottenham and were the favorites to win it all again.
They were paired in a group once again with Napoli and traveled to Naples on the opening day. Napoli gave Liverpool problems last season and coupled with the fact that the side managed by Jurgen Klopp struggled on the road last season, Napoli had a shot at getting something out of it.
They got more than just something as Carlo Ancelotti’s men won 2-0 against the defending champions thanks to a Dries Mertens penalty and a late tally by former Spurs striker, Fernando Llorente.
The penalty given to Napoli, following a foul by Andy Robertson on Jose Callejon, was questionable at best but it was reassessed by VAR and the call stood.
If it is a wake-up call, Liverpool’s Virgil Van Dijk doesn’t think so.
According to ESPN, he said, It felt like it was going to be a draw, and then the penalty changed everything in the game. It shouldn’t be a wake-up call — we have been performing outstanding since the start of the season so there is no reason to panic.”
Be that as it may, for the rest of the teams in that group, Napoli’s win could have a positive psychological effect. Liverpool are more than likely to win all their games at home but are quite vulnerable on the road. Salzburg may now think that they have a shot when they face them in Austria.
Like Van Dijk said, they’ve started the season outstandingly and with an ere of invincibility. But Napoli proved that, at least on this occasion, their players are human and that they can be beat.