Jurgen Klopp praises ‘top world level player’ Luis Diaz after goal and assist earns Liverpool win at Benfica

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp praised winger Luis Diaz after he was at the heart of his side’s 3-1 win over Benfica in the Champions League.

The Reds will take a 3-1 lead back to Anfield for the second leg and are now heavy favourites to go through to the semi-finals of a tournament the manager and club won three years ago.

Ibrahima Konate and Sadio Mane both scored for Klopp’s side but they were given an extra cushion by Diaz’s late goal, with the former Porto player also providing an assist.

Speaking after the game, Klopp was once again singing the 25-year-old’s praises.

“He’s a top player,” he began. “He’s a top, top world level player. It’s a joy for me to work with Luís every day, and I’m more than happy that we decided to sign him in January.”

Liverpool now turn their attention to the weekend’s game against Manchester City which could see the top of the table positions between the pair swap around.

Klopp added: “Coming here and winning an away game in the Champions League is tough.

“Benfica fought for their lives, we gave them a little bit too much but they deserved the goal as well, even though we could have defended better – they had counter attacks, it is not easy to keep the ball all the time and the more risk you take, they have really good players.

“It was a tough game, what I expected, the crowd was there, we knew 2-0 is nothing, nice but not more. They score the goal and it was much more open than we wanted but the goalie was probably the best player and made a couple of really good saves – we are two goals up, half-time, let’s keep going.

“We usually score more [in those situations] but we didn’t, mainly because the goalie, credit to him, and that is pretty much the story. We could have scored in the last minute, 4-1 would be nice but we are not in dreamland here.

“We know much more about our opponent, they won at Ajax, we are aware of the quality and have a nice game in between but then we will be ready again.”