A comeback from liverpool overturning a 3-0 first leg deficit to send Barcelona off the Finals
Two goals apiece from Divock Origi and half-time substitute Georginio Wijnaldum saw a Liverpool side written off without two of their best players, Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino, thump the Spanish champions 4-0, in feat that must surely rival even the turnaround in Istanbul as one of the finest in the club’s history.
With Firmino and Salah out injured, Jurgen Klopp gave starts to Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri in attack, while Virgil Van Dijk was fit despite a late injury scare on Monday.
The Belgian might have had another opening moments later had he not hesitated in chasing down an underhit back pass from Sergio Busquets, before Mane had a penalty appeal waved away.
At the other end, Suarez was, predictably, front and centre, earning chants of ‘cheat!’ from the home crowd for his playacting in a running feud with Brazilian midfielder Fabinho.
Both James Milner and Fabinho put in hefty challenges on pantomime villain Suarez, the latter picking up a booking for his troubles, before the Uruguayan turned his attentions to Andy Robertson, renewing a rivalry that had begun in the Nou Camp tunnel a week ago with a kick out that would end eventually end the left back’s evening.
The Scot battled through to half-time, but was replaced at the interval by Wijnaldum, with Milner slotting in at full back.
By the 56th minute though, Liverpool didn’t just have the next goal in the tie – they had the next two.
First, Trent Alexander-Arnold fizzed a trademark cutback into the path of the arriving Wijnaldum, who swept a powerful drive effort straight through Ter Stegen, who must’ve seen it late.
Then, within 31 seconds of the restart, before Barca had even had time to properly consider a repeat of the debacle of Rome a year ago, Wijnaldum was at it again, this time allowed to jump free as a bird to nod Shaqiri’s cross into the top corner and send Anfield into a state of giddy euphoria.
