Liverpool produced one of their best European comebacks yet at Villarreal for a spot in the Champions League final, but what are five of their other big wins in the UEFA competition?
The Reds travelled to Spain on Tuesday boasting a two-goal advantage after the first-leg at Anfield. But a quick start from Unai Emery’s La Liga outfit stunned Jurgen Klopp’s squad, as Boulaye Dia sent the Estadio de la Ceramica wild to put El Submarino Amarillo ahead early.
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Villarreal played Liverpool off the park during the first 45 minutes, with Dia scoring in only the third minute. Francis Coquelin soon scrubbed the Reds’ aggregate lead off the board as he headed home Etienne Capoue’s cross. The Frenchman assisted both of his side’s goals.
Shellshocked were Liverpool at half-time, with their spot in a Champions League final now at risk. Arguably, the opening 45 minutes were the worst the Reds had produced over the 2021/22 campaign so far. Yet Klopp’s half-time words of wisdom did more than the trick.
It was a complete change in performance from Liverpool during the second period as they dismantled Villarreal’s Champions League dreams. Nothing the Merseysiders had tried in the opening half worked. Yet the introduction of Luis Diaz helped them find their rhythm.
Liverpool were dominant and put Villarreal to the sword, as Fabinho, Diaz and Sadio Mane scored on 62, 67 and 74 minutes. The Anfield natives will now contend a third Champions League final in five years against Manchester City or Real Madrid, who play on Wednesday.
So, after an instant classic comeback away to Villarreal, what are five other times Liverpool have had to produce remarkable performances to flip the script in the Champions League?
Liverpool stun AC Milan to win fifth European Cup title in 2005
Liverpool have won the Champions League six times, including in its previous guise as the European Cup. They first won the trophy after UEFA rebranded the tournament in 1992 in the 2004/05 campaign, only after producing one of the great comebacks in the final itself.
Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium will forever be a special place for Reds fans after the events of May 25, 2005. The Anfield natives found themselves behind to AC Milan in the opening minute through Paolo Maldini, before Hernan Crespo would soon strike a brace.
The Rossoneri seemed certain for European bragging rights at the break, but for a swift, shock Liverpool response. Steven Gerrard gave the Merseysiders hope early in the second period, before Vladimir Smicer and Xabi Alonso completed a comeback over 11 minutes.
Liverpool managed to withstand AC Milan’s might and take the Champions League final to penalties. Then, up step Jerzy Dudek, as Serginho, Andrea Pirlo and Andriy Shevchenko all failed to convert from 12-yards. A comeback that returned European honours to Anfield.
Liverpool leave it late to eliminate Saint-Etienne in 1977 quarter-final
Liverpool won their first European Cup in 1976/77, but only after the 2021/22 Champions League finalists completed a dramatic comeback against Saint-Etienne in the quarter-final.
Questions loomed large over manager Bob Paisley and whether or not he could achieve a feat Bill Shankly could not. And defeat in France left doubts in place, as the once-dominant Ligue 1 side outclassed the Reds and merited going to Merseyside more than one in front.
A 1-0 scoreline offered Liverpool hope of a comeback, and Kevin Keegan strengthened the feeling after just 46 seconds. But Saint-Etienne found their feet to respond as Dominique Bathenay smashed home from 30-yards. Yet the Reds refused to be down for the count.
Ray Kennedy restored Liverpool’s on-the-night lead in the 59th-minute. But were it not for David Fairclough six minutes from time, Liverpool would not have completed a comeback that until 2004/05 was the big European turnaround in the Anfield natives’ long history.
Olympiacos comeback laid Liverpool’s Champions League title foundations in 2004/05
Istanbul and AC Milan in the Champions League final took the Saint-Etienne affair’s place as Liverpool’s top European Cup comeback. But were it not for a key turnaround against Olympiacos during the group stage, a fifth premier UEFA trophy would not go to Anfield.
The Reds barely made it out of the first round of the 2004/05 tournament after taking it to the final minutes of their final group stage game. Olympiacos put themselves in the prime position to progress with Rivaldo’s early free-kick, leaving Liverpool needing to score three.
Florent Sinama Pongolle hit the first of the three on 47 minutes, but it took to Neil Mellor on 81 minutes for a second. Then Gerrard wrote his name in the history books next to the commentary line “what a hit, son” in front of the Kop with only four minutes left to play.
Athens heartbreak in 2007 after Chelsea comeback for dominate Liverpool
The 2006/07 term saw Liverpool produce one of their best Champions League comebacks against Chelsea in their semi-final second-leg. But heartbreak in Athens with defeat to AC Milan in a repeat of the 2005 final often pushes the Blues affair down the pecking order.
Nonetheless, Liverpool’s performance against Chelsea was arguably more impressive than the 2005 final itself. The Reds outclassed the Stamford Bridge natives across both legs, yet left west London 1-0 behind and needed centre-back Daniel Agger to take it to penalties.
Boudewijn Zenden, Alonso, Gerrard and finally Dirk Kuyt stepped up and scored from 12-yards out to crush Jose Mourinho’s spirits. Kuyt sending Anfield into delirium, before he also scored in the final. Yet the Dutchman’s 89th-minute hit came too late as they lost 2-1.
Liverpool produce Champions League history to comeback against Barcelona in 2019
Liverpool ended a 14 year wait to win the Champions League again in 2019 after one of the greatest comebacks in football as a whole against Barcelona in the semi-finals. And victory over Villarreal on Tuesday night may now see them win it twice in the space of four years.
The Reds were dead and buried after losing the first-leg of the 2019 semi-final 3-0 away at the Camp Nou. Barcelona were a class above in Catalunya, with Lionel Messi weaving his way through Klopp’s side that had lost in the 2018 final to 13-time champions Real Madrid.
Liverpool needed a miracle, with Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino also missing their second-leg with Barcelona. Yet cometh the hour, cometh the Divock Origi and cometh the Georginio Wijnaldum, with the latter hitting twice in 11-minutes of his half-time inclusion.
Origi had already broken the deadlock at Anfield inside seven minutes, before Wijnaldum’s braced levelled the aggregate scoreline. History was yet to be written, though, as Origi met Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner taken quickly to send Anfield wild and Liverpool through.
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