Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insists that Dejan Lovren was happy to take a penalty against Besiktas this evening.
The Reds went down 1-0 against the Black Eagles in Istanbul after 120 minutes of football, meaning it was 1-1 on aggregate. Penalties were needed to separate the two sides and decide who progressed to the last 16 of the Europa League.
After five perfect penalties for Liverpool and four for Besiktas, up stepped the unfamiliar sight of Lovren to take the Reds' fifth spot-kick.
The Serbian defender did not even trouble the Turkish goalkeeper, blasting his shot wide of the goal and handing Besiktas victory 5-4 on penalties.
Rodgers insists that Lovren felt good taking a penalty and praised his performance in the match as a whole.
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"[Lovren] was happy [to take a penalty]. All the five penalty-takers who opted to and wanted to take a penalty were all confident", Rodgers said via his club's site.
"You saw the four before Dejan were very good penalty takers, who have had experience already in the cup competition this year.
"We were happy with the penalty takers. We're obviously disappointed for [Lovren], because I felt in the game he played very well."
Liverpool will now switch their focus back to the Premier League, where they are bidding to finish in the top four to qualify for next season's Champions League and avoid Europa League football for 2015/16.
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