Klopp pumped for Liverpool's 'proper football' showdown with Barca

Early onslaught

He had hardly touched the ball during a Porto onslaught in the opening stages, sparked by a Jesus Corona shot just over the bar in the first minute.

The host had 13 attempts on goal in the first 25 minutes, but would regret not scoring while on top.

"There was a very good football atmosphere and Porto was so powerful and so difficult to deal with," Klopp said.

"They needed an early goal tonight and didn't score it. I'm completely happy. It's only important to go through, and we went through."

The opening goal came when Salah - his every touch jeered by the Porto support who felt he should have been sent off in the first leg - rolled the ball into the six-yard area for Mane to get his 22nd of the campaign.

The offside flag came up, but Dutch referee Danny Makkelie conferred with his video assistants before awarding the goal.

Porto knew its chance was gone, with its fans cursing Mane again - he scored a hat-trick in Liverpool's win here in the last 16 last season.

Trent Alexander-Arnold released Salah to run through and beat Iker Casillas in the 65th minute to make it 2-0 before Porto got its consolation shortly after when Militao headed in from an Alex Telles corner.

However, Mane missed the target after rounding Casillas, before Henderson set up fellow substitute Firmino to head in Liverpool's third on 77 minutes and Van Dijk nodded in from a corner to complete the scoring.

"Like at Anfield, it was a harsh result for how we played, especially with the early chances," said Porto coach Sergio Conceicao.

"If we had been more clinical, everything would have been different."

Agence France - Presse