TOSH: MY RIOTOUS WINNER
JOHN TOSHACK can still remember his goal which led to a first-ever victory for Liverpool in the Nou Camp — it nearly started a riot.
At the final whistle, cushions and then seats were raining down on the pitch with the locals unhappy at witnessing Barcelona’s 1-0 eclipse in the UEFA Cup semi-final first leg in March 1976.
Liverpool drew the return leg at Anfield and went on to claim the trophy against Club Bruges, after also winning the First Division championship.
Toshack was the club’s top scorer that season with 23 goals.
Now the Kop legend (below) is hoping his old side can repeat the feat in the Champions League semi-final on Wednesday night.
“I remember the night well,” he said. “A Ray Clemence long clearance, Kevin Keegan flicking it on and Toshack — 1-0.
“Later on, with Barcelona unable to grab an equaliser, some of their fans started chucking cushions on to the pitch.
“It did cross my mind that maybe it would have been better if I hadn’t scored — we’d have a better chance of getting out of the ground in one piece.
“The situation wasn’t helped by Joey Jones throwing them back into the stand until our manager Bob Paisley warned him that he was in danger of causing a riot.”
Jones readily admits his part in the Barcelona bust-up.
The former Wales full-back, now aged 64, recalled: “I was one of the substitutes on that night against Barcelona.
“The dug-outs at the Nou Camp weren’t covered in those days.
“When Tosh scored, we started getting hit with all sorts of things.
“At the end of the game their fans started throwing cushions then bits of seats.
“I started flinging the cushions back.
“I was getting quite good at it, seeing them skim off Barcelona supporters’ heads.
“Suddenly Bob Paisley came and grabbed me by the collar and told me to stop before I caused a riot.”
Garcia, the Spanish forward who was a Champions League winner with the Reds 14 years ago, believes Barcelona’s brilliant Argentine is on a one-man mission to be once again crowned the king of European football.
And that spells bad news for Liverpool.
Garcia has pinpointed Messi (left) as the man who can make a decisive difference when Liverpool meet Barca in their two-legged semi-final.
He reckons the 31-year-old has been inspired by arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo leading Real Madrid to three successive Champions League triumphs.
And, while the Catalan giants have cruised it in the Spanish league this season, it is European glory that is driving Messi on.
Garcia said: “Messi said, at the start of the season, that his aim is to win the Champions League again.
“And that message has been repeated by the other Barcelona players throughout the year.
“Barcelona have dominated La Liga for the last few years and have been so consistent, but Madrid have won the last three Champions Leagues and that will have hurt them.
“I think Liverpool have got the worst draw possible – but so have Barcelona.
“I would say Liverpool are better defensively than Barcelona and Barcelona have a better midfield than Liverpool.
“Up front, both clubs have some unbelievable players – Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho on one side and Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane on the other.
“I think the difference between the two teams could be Messi. He is the one player who can do things that no other player in the whole world is capable of. If he isn’t scoring goals, then he is creating them. He just finds a way to win games like no other player. “After Messi? I would say it is an even game and impossible to call – the flip of a coin.” Garcia will be forever remembered at Anfield for the role he played in Liverpool’s Champions League triumph in 2005. His controversial goal to defeat Chelsea in the semi-final sent Rafa Benitez’s men through to face AC Milan. The Miracle of Istanbul – when the Reds hit back from a 3-0 half-time deficit to win on penalties and lift the