Boss disappointed with Europa exit

The Reds took a 1-0 advantage in the tie to Istanbul and the Ataturk Stadium, having edged past the Turkish outfit with a Mario Balotelli penalty a week previously.

With a half played in the return, the score was goalless and the travellers had mustered the better openings, working home goalkeeper Cenk Gonen with several shots.

But Slaven Bilic's charges reacted strongly following the interval and substitute Tolgay Ali Arslan proved pivotal in swinging momentum firmly in the hosts' favour.

He had come close a couple of times already before, on 72 minutes, he swept a precise curler from 20 yards beyond the reach of Simon Mignolet between the posts.

No further goals followed in 90 minutes or indeed extra-time, requiring a penalty shootout to settle which team would book a place in the competition's last 16.

Nine successive spot-kicks were scored, until Dejan Lovren sent his effort over the crossbar to cruelly signal the end of Liverpool's hopes of glory in the tournament.

Rodgers said: "We're disappointed, of course, to go out in the manner that we did. We created opportunities in the first half, to make it really difficult for them.

"Over the course of the game, we defended very well and limited them to very few chances. But the one mistake we made, we got punished for, where we just got too deep and they scored.

"Up until they scored their goal, we were quite comfortable in the game. Of course, we're away from home, and the objective for us was to keep a clean sheet.

"We created chances in the first half and in the second half we were comfortable. But we were missing a lot of our creativity this evening.

"But it's no excuse. There were a lot of young players getting great experience with other players who are creative players. We played with two strikers, so it was an attacking line-up.

"And once Besiktas got the goal, we started to have more of the ball again, but we didn't create so much.

"But I didn't think Besiktas created so much either. It was always a tight game, but we just failed to finish the opportunities that we had in the first half."

Aside from their ambitions in the Barclays Premier League, the FA Cup is now the Reds' sole avenue for cup success in 2014-15, with a home quarter-final next month.

Rodgers insisted that the start-of-season objective to lift silverware remains firmly in mind, with lessons to be learned and taken from the Besiktas defeat.

"A lot of our young players got great experience this evening in a fantastic atmosphere," said the boss. "The Besiktas supporters were outstanding, as were the Liverpool supporters.

"To come so far and give us that support, we really appreciate that. But of course we're disappointed, having put so much into the game.

"It was a good game, there wasn't a great deal in the game; the pitch was very difficult for both teams. Congratulations to Besiktas, they have gone through.

"We now just have to concentrate on our league campaign that is starting to go well for us. Our objective this season was to win a cup. It's not going to be in this competition, but we have an excellent opportunity in [the FA Cup]."

Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana, Emre Can and Joe Allen all dispatched well-executed penalties beyond Gonen in the shootout, but the home side were flawless in their finishing.

All five of the Turkish outfit's takers hit the back of the net to pile pressure on the Reds' final man from the spot, Lovren, who shot over the goal from 12 yards.

"[Dejan] was happy [to take a penalty]," said Rodgers. "All the five penalty takers who opted to and wanted to take a penalty were all confident.

"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 and Dejan was confident. We're obviously disappointed for him, because I felt in the game he played very well."