Liverpool must call on their history of great European comebacks as they bid to beat Atalanta

Liverpool travel to Italy today needing to call on their past history of great European comebacks to keep their Europa League hopes alive. Jurgen Klopp’s side trail Atalanta 3-0 after last week’s first leg at Anfield.

Few clubs can conjure magical nights like Liverpool, though, a club synonymous with improbable comebacks in European competition. Here we take a look at Liverpool’s greatest fightbacks.

2005: Champions League. AC Milan 3-3 Liverpool

Liverpool were staring down the barrel in the final as they trailed Italian giants AC Milan 3-0 at half time thanks to a Paolo Maldini goal and a brace from Argentine striker Hernan Crespo.

Captain Steven Gerrard’s headed goal inspired a stirring second-half fightback for Rafa Benitez’s side.

Vladimir Smicer’s long-range strike reduced the deficit and Xabi Alonso’s goal forced the game into extra time.

With the tie still level at the end of extra time, it was goalkeeper Jerzey Dudek’s time to shine in the shoot-out, saving Andrei Shevchenko’s decisive spot kick despite diving the wrong way as Liverpool won 3-2 on penalties and the “Miracle of Istanbul” legend was born.

2019: Champions League. Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona

Barcelona arrived at Anfield defending a 3-0 lead after dismantling Liverpool in their Champions League semi-final first leg at Camp Nou.

Roared on by a relentless home crowd, Divock Origi’s seventh-minute goal gave Liverpool a sliver of hope and two Gini Wijnaldum goals in the space of two second-half minutes had the crowd believing that they were about to witness one of the greatest nights in the club’s history.

A moment of devious deception by Trent Alexander-Arnold saw the Barcelona defence switch off at a corner and the defender drilled in a low cross for Origi to fire home on 79 minutes, putting Liverpool ahead in the tie for the first time and into the Champions League final.

2016: Europa League. Liverpool 4-3 Dortmund

Three years before their epic comeback against Barcelona, Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund played out one of the greatest games in Europa League history.

The tie was finely poised after a 1-1 draw in Germany but Liverpool found themselves 3-1 down on aggregate after nine minutes of the return leg as Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored through swift counter attacks. Origi pulled Liverpool back to within one goal but Marco Reus restored Dortmund’s two-goal advantage on 57 minutes.

Because of the away goals rule, Liverpool still needed three goals with less than 25 minutes left but Philippe Coutinho’s low shot cut the deficit and when Mamadou Sakho headed in after 77 minutes, Liverpool stood on the brink of something truly remarkable.

Amid riotous scenes, Croatian centre-back Dejan Lovren rose to head home in stoppage time in front of the Kop to spark chaotic celebrations and seal a win that rightly belongs in Anfield folklore.

2004: Champions League. Liverpool 3-1 Olympiacos

Liverpool went into their final group match of the 2004/05 Champions League needing to beat their opponents by two goals to advance to the knockout stages. The task was made all the harder as Olympiacos went ahead through a superb free kick by Rivaldo.

However, in a sign of what was to come for Liverpool in that season’s European Cup, they staged a remarkable turnaround. Goals from Florent Sinama-Pongolle and Neil Mellor put the Anfield faithful on the edge of their seats for a special comeback win over the Greeks. Gerrard sent the stands into raptures when he

thumped home an absolute screamer to send the Reds through to the last 16.

1976: Uefa Cup. Liverpool 3-2 Club Bruges

It seems mad to think the final of the Uefa Cup, the precursor to what is now the Europa League, used to be played over two legs. The first leg at Anfield was arguably where the Liverpool legend of astonishing comebacks was born. The Reds trailed 2-0 to the Belgian side but three goals in six minutes from Ray Kennedy, Jimmy Case and Kevin Keegan gave the English club the advantage. A 1-1 draw in Belgium saw Liverpool clinch the trophy 4-3 on aggregate.