Sousa's Basel joy, Rodgers demands more

• Basel coach Paulo Sousa wants his side to "continue to create history"
• Brendan Rodgers admits Liverpool can have "no excuses"
• Marco Streller wishes to face German opponents in round of 16
• Liverpool now hope to improve as they enter UEFA Europa League
• Round of 16 draw takes place in Nyon at 12.00CET on 15 December

Brendan Rodgers, Liverpool manager
We're obviously disappointed to go out. We had a wonderful season last year but that doesn't mean we have the right to be in the competition this year. Over the course of the games, we weren't good enough, we didn't collect enough points and we ultimately went out.

It's been a good learning experience and we'll fight as hard as we possibly can to ensure it's not another five years before we qualify. We have come a long way in a short period but we're obviously disappointed to go out.

The sending-off gave us a mountain to climb with ten men but I thought the players were excellent, sticking to the cause. From that moment we took the game to them and in that final 30 minutes we were outstanding.

We now go into the Europa League, which is still a very prestigious tournament. We want to do very well in that, and when it comes around we'll be really focused. Hopefully by that stage our performance level will have improved greatly and then we can go on in the second half of the season and do well.

We can't have any excuses about not qualifying. We had enough games and I think the big game was in Basel where we didn't perform well. We can have no complaints – if you deserve to go through and you get the points, then you go through. We haven't been good enough over the course of qualification, but we've got take it on the chin and move into the next competition and we'll hopefully do better in that.

Steven Gerrard, Liverpool midfielder
I still knew after I scored that it was going to be difficult with ten men and running out of time, but it gave us some hope and, as the manager said, the first half was not good enough and we had to go down fighting.

I have not seen the sending-off. It made it harder because we could have made it hell for Basel in the final stages with 11 men. But I don't think we deserved better. We have not gone out because of this performance – we weren't good enough away to Basel and we let in a silly goal away to Ludogorets. You qualify over six games and we have not been good enough.

We need to get our main striker Daniel Sturridge back and get some more goals in the side. We need to get Mario Balotelli back and firing. That is not to take away anything from the lads who have played tonight and have slogged their guts out. Rickie Lambert ran himself into the ground tonight, but it has just been a game too far and that has been because of a lack of numbers.

Fabian Frei after making it 1-0©Getty Images

Paulo Sousa, Basel coach
For me and my staff, and especially the players, it's about creating more history for this great club. It means we are moving in the right direction to achieve important things, like we did today. As a club, it gives us an opportunity to challenge the best teams. This is where we want to be and competing like we did today, in these sorts of environments with our fantastic fans, who believed in what we were doing.

It is never easy to beat Liverpool – they are a historic club with top-class players and a brilliant coach. Our game plan was perfect. Coming here to Anfield and showing the personality in our game ... I'm more proud of my team for the way they expressed themselves, the intensity they showed on the pitch, their belief and ability to make the right decisions.

What we would like now is to rest. Competing with the best has allowed us to grow – me as a coach and them as players. The next round will be a challenge again. Everything is special when you go through this competition.

The feeling in the dressing room was one of happiness, joy – and they deserve it because day by day, game by game, they are growing and the way they delivered here was amazing. They deserve to enjoy this fantastic moment.

Shkelzen Gashi, Basel forward
A result like this is great for team spirit. We will see what the draw brings but for now we just want to enjoy this success.

Marco Streller, Basel forward
First I am very proud of the team. It was a fantastic first half from us – we were the better team. Then, after the red card, sometimes in football it is like this – with ten you get better and better and in the end we conceded the goal and they were a tough ten minutes in the end. But again it was a night to remember for us. We love to play in England and I can repeat, I am just proud and happy for the team.

This is the philosophy of our coach and ourselves. The first half was one of the best halves I ever saw from FC Basel away [from home]. It was fantastic. We were confident we could win here or get the draw and that is the thing about this team – it is because of the past. We've done it so many times in England and this team have an amazing character.

Maybe I'd prefer a German team [in the last 16]. For us Swiss, we are very close to Germany and it is a big dream of mine to beat a German team in the Champions League.