KOP IDOLS WILL LIV FOREVER
Klopp’s comeback kings produce the greatest night in Anfield Euro history
TRULY this was the greatest night even in Liverpool’s incredible history in European football.
Given no chance against mighty Barcelona and majestic Lionel Messi, they reduced the visitors to rubble – and rewrote history in the process.
No side had ever come back from 3-0 down in the semi-final of this competition to win without extra-time, not in its 70 year history.
Yet last night, the impossible happened. The incredible happened.
Two goals apiece from Divock Origi and substitute Gini Wijnaldum stunned Barcelona and blew the roof off Anfield.
The final goal from Origi produced such noise as never heard here before. It came with 11 minutes remaining, when a quick-thinking Trent Alexander-Arnold corner was turned in first time at the near post by the big Belgian.
They will be putting up statues of him at Anfield now.
Jurgen Klopp had pleaded for the fans to give Barcelona a nerve jangling European night welcome. He was not disappointed.
Even before kick-off, the atmosphere was electric, and when the visitors emerged from the tunnel to the strains of You’ll Never Walk Alone there was a tension in the air.
Anfield was deafening, intimidating, pulsating.
Surely never have Barcelona looked so uncomfortable on the ball than in the first 15 minutes, or been so rattled.
Within 60 seconds only a desperate Jordi Alba lunge denied Jordan Henderson a tap-in.
Even Messi gave the ball away as Klopp’s side built confidence and momentum.
And the goal to give Liverpool hope arrived after just seven minutes.
Sadio Mane beautifully read a defensive header from Alba, and fed Henderson who jinked into the box. His left foot shot was saved, but Origi was alive and turned home the rebound.
Cue mayhem. Cue a frenetic contest that Barcelona hated for a while, as the waves of sound crashed around them. Much has been made of this side, of Messi’s genius and their composed, often majestic play. But they have a nasty streak making them quick to cheat.
We saw it with Arturo Vidal, and then Luis Suarez rolling around feigning injury before brandishing imaginary cards at the referee.
That prompted a fine response from the Kop, as they made known their feelings to their former player and the message was clear: If he was once a hero here, no longer.
Suarez had sneaky kick at Andy Robertson – which saw the Reds defender substituted at half time –while Clement Lenglet stamped Henderson off the ball.
Barca were clearly worried by the occasion and the sheer energy of Liverpool, and it took them half an hour to settle. There were inevitable chances of course with the game finely balanced, Messi seeing one shot saved well by Alisson, before the keeper produced a fine stop from Alba. But at the other end, Liverpool continued to believe.
Virgil van Dijk was so close with a flick from an AlexanderArnold corner just after the break, as vulnerability was shown by Barca at set-pieces.
And Barca nerves were exposed magnificently twice in the space of two astonishing minutes by Wijnaldum, who had come on to replace Robertson.
First, Alexander-Arnold nicked the ball from Alba, and his cross was brilliantly converted by the Dutchman, then he powered in a header from Xherdan Shaqiri’s cross.
The sound was off the charts, as was Barca’s blood pressure.
Origi ensured they would never recover.