Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp accepted his side have not been good enough to qualify for the Champions League this season.
A 1-1 draw at home to Aston Villa not only ended a nine-match winning run but also made their outside hopes of making the top-four even more remote.
They would have to win their final match at Southampton and rely on Newcastle or Manchester United not picking up another point from their remaining two games, an outcome Klopp admits is not going to happen.
“I think the whole season is rather a season where we qualify for Europa League than for Champions League,” he said.
“We were for too long not good enough or ourselves.”
While the draw was a disappointment there was, at least, a memorable end as Roberto Firmino, who is leaving the club after eight influential years, came off the bench to score at the Kop end in the 89th minute to cancel out Jacob Ramsey’s first-half effort.
Firmino was not the only one saying goodbye to Anfield as James Milner and fellow midfielders Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita, who were not in the matchday squad, are also departing when their contracts end next month and it added to an emotional but frustrating afternoon.
“This day was not an easy day for us – no excuse for anything, it just was not easy because we all love these four boys,” added Klopp.
“The first half was not great I would say. We were too much in a rush in both departments, with the ball, without the ball.
“Our pressing was not good, you could see we wanted but the timing was ‘Wow. ‘Who is where?’ That was not helpful.
“They (Villa) had moments in the game and they are a good football team obviously.
“It was clear in the second half we have to calm down, increase the pressure but calm down in the right areas, and that’s what we did and then you could see the whole game was for Aston Villa super-intense as well.”
Villa boss Unai Emery was satisfied with the performance, despite the late disappointment of conceding an equaliser.
His side moved above Tottenham and will secure European football with victory over Brighton in their final match next week.
“You can analyse 90 minutes in different ways,” Emery said.
“I think the first half we played very well but we played well because to play to avoid the high press is not easy and to play with the personality we did is not easy.
“To have got three points would have been fantastic, we defended very well and our commitment was fantastic.
“I’ve played here before and I know what a difficult match it is here at Anfield. They were in their best moment of the season, confident, trying to get top four.”
'I felt like Ronaldo' - Bellingham revels overhead-kick equaliser for England
Jude Bellingham says he "felt like Ronaldo" while scoring a stunning overhead kick to send England to extra-time against Slovakia in the round of 16 at Euro 2024.
The Three Lions looked to be heading out of the European Championships on Sunday until Bellingham scored a 95th-minute equaliser.
Harry Kane then scored the winner in the first minute of extra time, with the captain later describing Bellingham's strike as one of the best in England's history.
Bellingham has admitted that while he was in the air, he compared himself to former Real Madrid forward, Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored an iconic overhead kick for Los Blancos in the 2018 Champions League final.
"It was really instinct more than anything," Bellingham said while speaking on England's 'Diary Room' show. "It kind of fell in the perfect spot, and it was a little bit behind me.
"When I was in the air, I thought, 'I'm six feet off the ground, and it's like Ronaldo!' But I've watched it back, and I still had one hand on the ground, so it wasn't the most acrobatic.
"But it was a nice contact. Definitely one of the most important and memorable moments of my career so far."
The England performance was drawing comparisons to their early exit at the hands of Iceland at Euro 2016 until Bellingham's intervention, with his strike their first on target.
The Madrid man reflected on how close England came to an exit, but praised the team's belief for getting them over the line.
"It was an emotional rollercoaster really, and probably not the most enjoyable way that you want to win a game," he added.
"You want [to] feel comfortable and in control, but you've got to find ways to win, even if it means overhead kicks in 90 plus five minutes.
"The difference in emotion is huge – it's one minute being dead and buried, as I saw the Slovakia bench all ready to run on, and you feel a bit disheartened and a bit gutted.
“It's not the way I would've wanted it to end – I'm having a good time here with all the lads and the staff and one moment later, it all changes.
"You start believing that we could create one more chance and, luckily, we got it in."
England will play Switzerland in their quarter-final on Saturday, with the Netherlands or Turkiye awaiting in the semi-finals if they make it through.
Malta, PFJL emphasize nourishing champions with Malta ‘Kickin’ Cuisine’ Cooking Programme
One of the key components of building a successful career in any sport is a proper diet and good nutrition.
Malta and the Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL) during their recent event, "Kickin' Cuisine to Fuel Your Game," a cooking programme held at The Summit in Kingston on Saturday, June 29, made their attempt to impart this wisdom on some of the country’s young footballers.
As part of the Malta Sparks campaign, this initiative is geared towards the development of tactical, nutritional, holistic, and psychological skills of U-17 footballers from the prominent teams including Arnett Gardens, Waterhouse, Portmore United, and Harbour View under the Professional Football Jamaica Limited League's Elite Development programme.
The event highlighted Neville Bell as Malta’s new Brand Ambassador, offered sports nutrition tips from Rohan Francis, and featured interactive Malta Shake and Go as well as a meal preparation segment by Chef Asia Thomas.
The day ended with a lively dance-off and trivia competition for exciting Malta prizes.
Marta named in Brazil's Olympics squad as Elias hails 'greatest athlete of all time'
Marta will play in her sixth Olympics after she was named in Brazil's squad for the Paris Games by coach Arthur Elias, who described her as "the greatest athlete of all time".
The Selecao's all-time leading scorer with 118 goals, the 38-year-old will appear at her final tournament with her country, having announced in April she will retire from international duty at the end of the year.
Marta has already made Olympics history. In Tokyo, she became the first player - male or female - to score at five successive Games, while she was part of the side that won silver medals in 2004 and 2008.
And Elias welcomed the inclusion of the six-time FIFA World Player of the Year, who has scored four times for Orlando Pride in the NWSL this season.
"She brings a lot to the table, she's the greatest athlete of all time," he said. "She's playing well, she deserved to be on this list.
"Marta's performance, her behaviour - with or without the ball - makes all the athletes see her as an example.
"I have the challenge of finding a way of playing to maximise her game. But she knows that you can only win with everyone."
Brazil begin their campaign against Nigeria on July 25, while they will also play Japan and 2023 World Cup winners Spain in Group C.
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