Liverpool kick off their Champions League campaign against Dutch champions, Ajax, on Wednesday. Here, we’ll look back at their top five Champions League nights under the lights.
5: Liverpool vs Paris Saint-Germain F.C 2018
Liverpool’s opening game of their Champions League winning campaign should have been an indication to the rest of Europe that they were not to be taken lightly. Their previous European outing ended in defeat to Real Madrid in the final the season before.
Daniel Sturridge opened the scoring for The Reds before James Milner slotted a penalty away in the bottom corner after Wijnaldum was felled in the penalty box.
PSG right back, Thomas Meunier, brought one back for the French champions with an instinctive, left foot finish from a poorly cleared Juan Bernat cross.
Starboy Kylian Mbappe equalised for the Parisians in the 83rd minute, in what he thought earned his side a well fought point at Anfield.
However, Brazilian international, Roberto Firmino jinxed his way into a shooting position and fired through a narrow gap through the PSG defence into the bottom corner. The last-minute winner sent Liverpool fans into anarchy.
4: Liverpool vs Olympiacos C.F.P 2005
Liverpool needed to win by a two-goal margin to progress from their group. Olympiacos, led by legendary Brazilian Rivaldo, took the lead early on with a free kick from just outside the box.
With Liverpool now needing three goals to go through, substitute Sinima Pongolle tucked home a driven Harry Kewell cross to bring them level in the 47th minute.
With under 10 minutes left of regulation time, Liverpool’s hopes of progressing were waring thin. After a good, close range save from Nikopolidis, the ball fell to Neil Mellor who leathered the ball into the back of the net.
With time running out, up stepped Steven Gerrard to pull Liverpool from the mud with a stunning, 25-yard half volley to send Liverpool through to the knockout stages and Olympiacos packing.
3: Liverpool vs Chelsea 2007
An all English semi-final was a regular occurrence in the mid to late 2000s. This was the second time in three years that Liverpool had faced Chelsea in the Champions League final four.
Chelsea had won 1-0 at home in the first leg, and Liverpool matched their score at Anfield with a calmly placed shot from Danish defender Daniel Agger. The game went into extra time and eventually penalties.
The Reds won 4-1 on penalties, with Frank Lampard the only Chelsea player to find the back of the net. Dirk Kuyt score the winning penalty and sent Liverpool to Athens to play a repeat of the 2005 final against AC Milan.
2: Liverpool vs Barcelona 2019
A Messi masterclass and a Dembele disaster all in one game at the Nou Camp left everyone but Liverpool looking at a Champions League exit. 3-0 down going into the second leg at Anfield, nobody could have foreseen the events that transpired.
An early goal from stand-in striker, Divock Origi, sent Anfield rocking. There was new hope that the impossible would be made possible.
A deflected Trent Alexander-Arnold cross found itself at the feet of substitute, Gini Wijnaldum. The Dutchman fired home, beating Marc Andre Ter-Stegen in the Barcelona net.
Less than two minutes later, Wijnaldum dragged Liverpool back level on aggregate with a well-placed header into the top corner of Ter-Stegen’s net.
In only the 56th minute there was still more than half an hour left to play with Liverpool on the assurgency and Barcelona looking down for the count, it wasn’t a matter of if, but when they would score the fourth.
A quickly taken corner from Alexander-Arnold caught the entire Barcelona team – and most of Anfield – off guard. Origi reacted to the quick thinking of the young Englishman and rifled the ball past Pique on the line.
1: Liverpool vs AC Milan 2005
Probably the most famous night in the history of Liverpool Football Club.
Maldini gave the Italian giants the lead in the opening minute with a striker’s volley from an Andrea Pirlo free kick. Hernan Crespo doubled Milan’s lead in the 39th minute of the game, tucking home an Andriy Shevchenko cross.
A sublime turn and through ball from Kaka into the path of Crespo allowed him the opportunity to grab his brace, with a first-time dink over the helpless Jerzy Dudek.
Liverpool looked down and out for the count before the half was even over. There didn’t seem to be any way back for Benitez’s boys.
The Reds came out a rejuvenated side in the second half with captain, Steven Gerrard, looping a header over Dida into the bottom corner to drag one back for Liverpool.
That goal gave the team confidence, and only two minutes later, Vladimir Smicer arrowed a shot into the bottom corner from outside the area to leave them within one.
The comeback of dreams was almost complete. A marauding run from Gerrard earned his side a penalty in the 60th as he was clipped in the area.
Spaniard Xabi Alonso stepped up to the spot. His original effort was saved by Dida, but he roofed in the rebound and sent the away fans into pandemonium.
