Liverpool stunned Barcelona (and every football fan) at Anfield… but where does it rank among the greatest European nights in front of the Kop faithful?
- Liverpool overturned first leg deficit of 3-0 to reach Champions League final
- Reds are famous for their European nights at Anfield, so often the 12th man
- Sportsmail has ranked the best European games in front of the Kop
Liverpool’s stunning 4-0 victory over Barcelona at Anfield was one of the most memorable nights in Champions League history.
Few gave Jurgen Klopp’s side a prayer after losing the first leg 3-0 but they conquered Lionel Messi and Co on home turf.
So, where does it rank among Liverpool’s greatest ever European games in front of the Kop?
Liverpool produced a remarkable comeback to overturn the first leg deficit
1. Barcelona – 4-0, Champions League semi-final; 7th May 2019 – Nobody gave them a chance, not with Lionel Messi in opposition, but this comeback defied belief.
A chance after 52 seconds led to unrelenting dominance and four unanswered goals by the final, exultant whistle.
2. St Etienne – 3-1, European Cup quarter-final; 16th March 1977 – This has always been the reference point for Liverpool and Europe as it led to Bob Paisley’s side winning the trophy for the first time. The French aristocrats held sway until a late siege
David Fairclough came off the bench to score a hugely important goal at Anfield
3. Borussia Dortmund – 4-3, Europa League quarter-final, 14th April 2016 – Second best for long parts of the game until Philippe Coutinho took charge in the second half and Dejan Lovren’s header sent them into the semi-finals.
Dejan Lovren scored the fourth goal that put Liverpool through to the semi-finals
4. Chelsea – 1-0, Champions League semi-final, 3rd May 2005 – A night when the stadium shook and the odds were defied.
Nobody thought Liverpool could keep the newly crowned Premier League champions at bay but they defend with their lives after Luis Garcia’s ‘ghost’ goal.
Luis Garcia’s ‘ghost goal’ has gone down in folklore among Liverpool and Chelsea fans
5. Auxerre – 3-0, UEFA Cup 2nd round, November 6 1991 – Always included in European nostalgia.
Anfield was mainly empty but The Kop was full and they overturned a 2-0 first leg deficit thanks to a Jan Molby penalty, Mike Marsh’s header and a late Mark Walters goal.
Liverpool overcame Auxerre 3-0, coming back from a 2-0 deficit in the first leg
6. Inter Milan – 3-1, European Cup semi-final, May 4 1965 – The events of this game have been handed down through the generations.
It ended up being the one that got away, as Liverpool controversially lost the second leg, but those present have never forgotten the noise.
Liverpool won the European semi-final 3-1 in 1965, one of many great Anfield nights
7. Olympiacos — 3-1, Champions League group stages, 8 December 2004 – The game without which Istanbul would never have happened.
Needing to win by two clear goals but finding themselves 1-0 down at the break, Anfield whipped itself into a frenzy during a second-half comeback that culminated in one of Steven Gerrard’s most famous strikes in a red jersey.
Steven Gerrard fires home in the 86th minute to fire Liverpool into the knockout stages
