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Jurgen Klopp and European nights at Anfield: Dortmund dumped out, Barca stunned and City swept aside

Jurgen Klopp celebrates during Liverpool's win over Borussia Dortmund at Anfield.

Liverpool have undoubtedly enjoyed some famous European nights at Anfield down the years.

A tradition that began under the great Bill Shankly has continued through into the reign of the current boss, Jurgen Klopp. Opposition fans may poke fun at any talk concerning a unique atmosphere at the ground, but there is something special about the place when the floodlights are switched on.

"I'm not a dreamer but I’m a romantic. I love the stories and Anfield is one of the best places in the football world," the German said at his first press conference on Merseyside, making it clear he understood how there really is no place like home for the Reds.

His European journey with Liverpool started out with a forgettable 1-1 draw against Rubin Kazan way back in October 2015, but there have been far more memorable occasions since then – starting with a clash against Klopp’s former employers...

 

LIVERPOOL 4-3 BORUSSIA DORTMUND (APRIL 2016)

Klopp restricted Dortmund in the first leg, holding them to a 1-1 draw on his old stomping ground. However, the Bundesliga club were far more fluent in the return, striking twice inside the opening nine minutes through Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Divock Origi cut the deficit soon after half-time, but a well-taken Marco Reus goal left Liverpool needing to score three more with the clock against them.

Philippe Coutinho got the first of them, firing in a low shot, and the scores were level in the game when Mamadou Sakho headed home. The turnaround was completed by Liverpool’s other centre-back, Dejan Lovren the unlikely hero as he climbed to nod in James Milner’s hung-up cross to the back post, sealing a stunning 4-3 aggregate triumph.

A delighted Klopp admitted it was "pretty cool to watch" from the touchline, though he was probably less enthused about another comeback in the final later that year, the Reds going down 3-1 to Europa League specialists Sevilla having taken the lead in Basel.

LIVERPOOL 3-0 MANCHESTER CITY (APRIL 2018)

Manchester City were outstanding in the 2017-18 season, winning the Premier League at a canter as they reached 100 points. Yet Klopp’s Liverpool had their number during the campaign, beating them in three of their four meetings.

They were victorious in both legs of an all-English tie in the Champions League, starting with a 3-0 result at home. As had been the case in a 4-3 league triumph earlier the same year, Liverpool stunned their opponents with three quick goals, Mohamed Salah's opener followed by efforts from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane in a red-hot nine-minute spell.

City would dominate possession but were unable to find a response and while they launched an onslaught in the first half at the Etihad Stadium, Liverpool rode their luck to come through the storm, allowing them to pick off opponents who ran out of steam to record a 2-1 win.

LIVERPOOL 5-2 ROMA (APRIL 2018)

Roma overwhelmed Barcelona in the Italian capital to reach the semi-finals, but the tables were turned on the Serie A side when they travelled to the north west of England.

The focus was on an ex now in a new relationship, but this also offered a glimpse at a future love. Salah left Roma to join Liverpool, yet the Egyptian did not spare his old employers in the first leg, scoring twice (though he did not celebrate). Roberto Firmino bagged a brace, while Mane was also on target, all three forwards getting the better of future team-mate Alisson in Roma's goal.

Edin Dzeko and Diego Perotti scored late on - the latter converting a penalty - to give Roma a glimmer of hope, but Liverpool were able to mind the gap in Italy to make it through to the final.

LIVERPOOL 3-2 PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN (SEPTEMBER 2018)

Having missed out on the trophy to Real Madrid at the end of the previous season, Liverpool’s journey to a second successive final appearance began with a home fixture against Paris Saint-Germain, the two heavyweights in Group C slugging it out in an eventful tussle.

Daniel Sturridge – starting in place of the half-fit Firmino – headed in the opener before Milner converted from the spot. PSG countered with a goal from Thomas Meunier, while the otherwise quiet Kylian Mbappe appeared to catch the Reds cold when he equalised with nine minutes remaining.

But Thomas Tuchel – the boss of PSG who had also been in charge of Dortmund back in 2016 – suffered another late KO at Anfield, Firmino coming off the bench to grab the winner from a tight angle. A doubt for the game due to an eye injury, the Brazilian celebrated landing the telling blow by mimicking wearing a patch.

LIVERPOOL 4-0 BARCELONA (MAY 2019)

The mother of all comebacks. Liverpool suffered against Lionel Messi in the first leg, the peerless Argentine's late brace helping the LaLiga giants to a 3-0 triumph at Camp Nou. Outsmarted rather than outplayed on Spanish soil, Klopp's squad headed home knowing they needed a miracle to reach the final again.

They duly produced one in front of their own fans, unlikely hero Origi starting and finishing the scoring. In between the Belgian's double, substitute Georginio Wijnaldum scored twice in the space of 122 seconds as Barca fell apart, even the magical Messi unable to tun the tide.

Liverpool were 3-0 up inside an hour but had to wait until 11 minutes from time for the goal that sent them through. Trent Alexander-Arnold caught the visitors sleeping at a corner and his quickly taken delivery was turned home by Origi, who backed up his brace with the clincher in a 2-0 victory over Tottenham that secured the trophy.

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