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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists he was not overly concerned after squandering a three-goal advantage against Red Bull Salzburg as he had faith in his players’ strength of character to bounce back.

The Reds raced into a commanding lead with goals from Sadio Mane, Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah inside 36 minutes but started to go backwards when Hee-Chan Hwang pulled one back just before half-time.

Takumi Minamino set nerves jangling 10 minutes after the break and when substitute Erling Braut Haaland scored his 18th of the season four minutes after coming on, it appeared the European champions’ homecoming would fall flat.

However, Salah took his tally to 12 in 13 Anfield Champions League appearances to secure a first victory in Group E.

“That we showed character, I would be the last one to be surprised by that,” said Klopp.

“That’s why I was not overly concerned at the moment of 3-3 because I knew we would have moments again.

“It would be silly if that were not possible because we did so many good things so we should not lose complete faith in ourselves in the moment when it becomes a bit difficult.

“It was far away from being a perfect game but it was a typical Liverpool game, very exciting. I thought after the game maybe I am angry but I realised I am not angry, so why should I show up as if I am angry?

“I respect the performance of the opponent and saw a lot of good things from us. We can do better. We will do better. That’s it.”

Liverpool conceded three goals for the first time since their Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona in the Nou Camp last season and only the second time in all competitions since losing to Real Madrid in the 2018 final.

With third-placed Leicester arriving at Anfield on Saturday, Klopp knows his players have to fix the problem and tighten up.

“I am sure Brendan Rodgers thinks if we defend like we did tonight then probably Jamie Vardy will run five times alone with the goalkeeper,” added Klopp.

“It was a very important lesson for us tonight. We will learn but we have to learn quick. I knew before that we have to improve a lot but now everybody knows it probably.”

Salzburg boss Jesse Marsch felt his side proved a lot at Anfield, having opened their campaign with a 6-2 win over Genk, who subsequently held Napoli to a goalless draw.

“We have seen, we can play at this level. When we play our football, we always have a chance,” he said.

“Of course we had the hope for a point after getting it back to 3-3, we were close. I am very proud of the team and it is important that we learn from this evening.”

Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde felt his side’s improvement in the final third was the reason behind their comeback win over Inter Milan in the Champions League.

The hosts were up against it at the Nou Camp after Lautaro Martinez struck in the second minute for the Serie A leaders.

But Barca improved, with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez taking centre stage in the second half.

Suarez netted twice, the second coming in the 84th minute following a fine run from Messi, to seal a 2-1 win which put the Spanish champions level with Borussia Dortmund in Group F, three points above Slavia Prague and Inter.

Valverde told Marca: “We needed to transform the match going forward. We controlled the play with (Sergio) Busquets, Arthur (Melo), (Frenkie) De Jong, but we didn’t have any space to play.

“We needed to be more of a threat in their area and be more decisive in the final third. They kept us far away from their goal and we were able to come back.”

Barcelona were fortunate to only be one goal down at half-time after Inter missed several chances to add to Martinez’s fine finish.

Antonio Candreva had a goal disallowed for offside, Nicolo Barella saw a shot blocked and Martinez was denied by a fine save from Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.

“(Lautaro’s goal) really put the game in their favour and strengthened their situation a lot,” Valverde said.

“They’re a powerful team, they’re first in the Italian league (after) winning all their matches. They made our lives difficult, but we were better in the second half.”

The defeat for Inter, who return to league action against champions Juventus on Sunday, was their first this season under Antonio Conte.

Midfielder Barella told Sky Sport: “We came here and demonstrated that we’re capable of matching them and winning: this is what Conte asked of us.

“We also showed this after the equaliser, but they found the winning goal. It’s disappointing, but now we go forward and start thinking about the next game.”

Zinedine Zidane was contemptuous of Real Madrid’s first-half performance after they were forced to come from two goals down to avoid an ignominious Champions League defeat against Club Brugge.

Emmanuel Dennis’ peculiar brace gave the Belgian side a 2-0 half-time lead against the 13-time European champions, who opened their Pool A account by being brushed aside 3-0 by Paris St Germain a fortnight ago.

Sergio Ramos halved the deficit before the hour before Brugge captain Ruud Vormer was sent off for a second bookable offence and, from the resulting free-kick, Casemiro scored five minutes from time to rescue a 2-2 draw.

Zidane said in his press conference afterwards: “The truth is that we produced a poor first-half display, we made a really bad start in the first five minutes and they made life difficult for us straight away.

“We weren’t in control of any aspect of the game and the second half was a different story and we changed the complexion of the game.

“Fortunately we reacted well and we can take that as a positive. It’s a game of two halves, and at half-time I said to the players: if we go on like this we will lose the game, but we have 45 minutes to change that.

“What I take away with me is the reaction from the players because they are the ones who changed the game. That’s what I take away with me, that and the point.”

Nigerian forward Dennis made a hash of the opener after nine minutes, failing to control the ball before it bounced off his leg and trickled into the net, with the goal awarded after initially being chalked off for offside.

Dennis then broke free in the 39th minute after dispossessing Luka Modric and regained his composure after threatening to stumble to lift the ball over Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Zidane said: “The two goals that they scored were a joke, that’s all I can say on that.

“What happened in the first half can happen to you. We looked to take the three points from start to finish and that was impossible in the first half. We won the second half 2-0 and we end up taking a point.

“I’m not worried. We know we have to make and finish chances because in the first 10 minutes, if we had been a little more clinical, we could have had the opening goal.

“We need to do that at home, go to kill the game from minute one and push our rivals. I don’t want to speak ill of a rival, but if we pressed like we did in the second half, they would have had no chance.”

A stomach ailment led to Courtois being substituted at half-time while defender Nacho’s knee injury led to his withdrawal before the start of the second half.

“Courtois is in a bad way and could not continue for the second half,” added Zidane, who revealed James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale were not considered after picking up knocks earlier this week.

“Nacho got injured too. Courtois was not injured quite as badly, we’ll have to wait and see with the others.”