“We are in the last eight for the second consecutive year and I’m totally happy,” said Jürgen Klopp, adding: “It was a tough game as expected.” The post-match reactions.

Michael Zorc: “We are very happy to be in the quarter-finals. We didn’t play well, and benefited from the first leg result. We made a lot of simple mistakes in possession and struggled to get a foothold. Zenit got well into the game after Hulk’s goal. All in all, it wasn’t a great performance but we accomplished our goal. Looking at our injury problems, which we have had all season, then getting to the last eight in a great achievement. Now we have to stay on track in the league as well.”

Jürgen Klopp: “When you see who else is in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, then this is the crème de la crème. We are in this round for the second consecutive year and I'm totally happy. It was a tough game as expected.”

Kevin Grosskreutz: “We were not strong enough in the tackles today and were not quite solid enough in defence. But Zenit also played really well. But in the end the only thing that matters is that we have reached the next round.”

Robert Lewandowski: “That wasn’t a perfect game from us, and I don’t know the reason for it. But we are of course very happy to be in the quarter-finals where we will now definitively face an absolute top side. We will have to give 110 percent against them and play much better than today. I don’t understand why I got a yellow card as I was pushed from behind and the ball then hit my arm. That’s not a yellow card in my opinion.”

Nuri Sahin: “Just look at all the setbacks we have had all season, and the number of injuries we have had, yet we are again among the best eight teams in Europe. Considering these facts, it’s a great achievement, and we can be very pleased about it in spite of this defeat to Zenit.”