Iker Casillas has been accused of showing a lack of class after Porto fell to a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool on Tuesday night
The Champions League quarter-final first leg at Anfield was not short of talking points as VAR again took centre-stage.
Some felt that Porto ought to have been awarded a penalty when a defensive mix-up between Alisson Becker and Trent Alexander-Arnold saw him accidentally handle the ball in the box while many thought Mohamed Salah was lucky to stay on the pitch for an awfully-timed late challenge on Danilo Pereira.
With everything still to play for in the return leg, Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas appeared to take a veiled dig at the refereeing decisions that went against his side in Liverpool.
Soy 100 por 100 optimista!! Teniendo en cuenta los resultados de octavos de @ChampionsLeague no podemos pensar que la eliminatoria está perdida. Falta el juego en Dragao y vamos a luchar por pasar a las semifinales. Gracias a todos los portistas por el apoyo en Liverpool!! pic.twitter.com/3w1xst6ULP
— Iker Casillas (@IkerCasillas) April 9, 2019
Casillas tweeted out photographs of the two incidents involving Alexander-Arnold and Salah before assuring supporters that the team would “fight to make it through to the semi-finals” when Porto host the Reds at the Estádio do Dragão next week.
Liverpool fans on social media didn’t take kindly to Casillas’ complaints, however, and accused him of being a bad loser.
After the respect we showed you, you show us none. Lost your class!!
— Brad (@_bradlfc) April 9, 2019
So gracious in defeat ??
— Virgil Van Keita (@LFCCanuck) April 9, 2019
I love you Iker but no need to be salty , outplayed and outclassed on the night by miles
— Aasim?⚽ (@SizzlingSadio_) April 10, 2019
Bitter much?
— Clemensson ?? (@ClemencyLFC) April 10, 2019
One second this man is full of class… the next he oozes bitterness. Chin up old man, hopefully you’ll get a testimonial at Porto unlike Madrid ?
— Haydz (@1staz_Br0him) April 10, 2019
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said of the victory: “It was a good game, a good game, a controlled game in a lot of moments. We deserved the win, 100 per cent, we scored two wonderful goals and we were – in a lot of situations – really dangerous, on the right side especially with Mo, Hendo and Trent, the crosses and the passes. Overall, a really good performance.
“They had a bit too many set-pieces because they are really good in that and you don’t want to give them away, but that’s how it is – they go for it as well and we defended them well.
“The problem was a little bit the second half, we gave one or two counter-attacks away and then we had to control it a bit more. We lost the direction in the play a bit, we didn’t play that clear anymore.
“We were still around in the box and all that stuff, that was good, but then for defending the counter-attacks we had to work really hard and it costs you then a little bit, you lose a bit of rhythm. That’s what happened.
He added: “I would have loved it if Sadio’s goal would have counted because it was a brilliant situation, a brilliant situation. All good, 2-0, the game is still on, we have to go there, we have to fight.
“Porto will try everything to strike back – and that will be a really tough game again, but that’s how it should be in the quarter-finals. We will be ready.”
