Ranked! Liverpool’s 10 best European nights at Anfield since the 1990s
Liverpool is synonymous with European nights at Anfield, the iconic Kop that offers an unparalleled atmosphere in hi…
Liverpool is synonymous with European nights at Anfield, the iconic Kop that offers an unparalleled atmosphere in high-pressure matches and welcomes the best teams on the continent.
There’s a certain weight to history that also gives games at Anfield an added edge, and there have been plenty of dramatic, compelling and completely crazy games at Merseyside over the past 30 years.
Here we’ve picked out the 10 best European nights at the Reds’ famed stadium since their return to continental competition in 1991.
10. Liverpool 2–1 Juventus (Champions League quarter-final, 2005)
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Scott Carson or Gianluigi Buffon? Djimi Traore or Fabio Cannavaro? Igor Biscan or Pavel Nedved? Anthony Le Tallec or Alessandro Del Piero? Milan Baros or Zlatan Ibrahimovic? Heading into this quarter-final in 2005, there was little doubt that Juve had the stronger team.
Yet somehow a side without Steven Gerrard won 2–1 at Anfield thanks to great early goals from Sami Hyypia and Luis Garcia. The Reds then went to the Stadio delle Alpi and defended strongly to steal a 0–0 and advance to the last four.
9. Liverpool 4–0 Real Madrid (Champions League last 16, 2009)
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For many, this was Liverpool’s best side of the last 20 years, with Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano, Sami Hyypia, Jamie Carragher and Pepe Reina in great form.
After winning 1–0 at the Bernabeu, Rafael Benitez forwards destroyed the Spanish giants 4–0 at Anfield — with Andrea Dossena, of all people, luring in the fourth. How this side failed to win the Premier League remains a mystery to the club’s fans. (The answer, which they wouldn’t like, is Sir Alex Ferguson.)
8. Liverpool 1–0 Barcelona (UEFA Cup semi-final, 2001)
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Before Rafael Benitez arrived and brought with him Champions League success, Gerard Houllier taught Liverpool how to win again in Europe. And they reached their first continental final since 1985 with a typical Benitez-esque pair of results: 0–0 away, 1–0 at home.
After neutralizing players like Rivaldo and Patrick Kluivert by drawing 0–0 at Camp Nou, the Frenchman completed the job at home. Gary McAllister’s penalty just before half-time gave the Reds a lead they didn’t want to relinquish. Anfield rocked under the lights and a first European trophy in 17 years was lifted the following month.
7. Liverpool 2–0 Roma (Champions League group stage, 2002)
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After winning the UEFA Cup last year, Gerard Houllier started his journey of Champions League success in 2001–02. Stricken with a heart problem, the Frenchman returned to the dugout for Roma’s visit to Anfield.
This was a time when the Champions League consisted of two group stages and Liverpool needed to beat Fabio Capello’s men by two goals to progress to their first European Cup quarter-final since 1985. Strikes from Jari Litmanen and Emile Heskey paid off.
6. Liverpool 4–2 Arsenal (Champions League quarter-final, 2008)
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After a 1–1 draw at the Emirates, this all-English quarter-final was tied. Arsenal took the lead early on through Abou Diaby, but Liverpool hit back through Sami Hyypia and Fernando Torres to turn the game upside down.
However, a superb 84th minute run from Theo Walcott saw Emmanuel Adebayor score to make it 2–2, a result that would see the Gunners through on away goals. But a minute later Ryan Babel was brought down in the box, Steven Gerrard scored from the spot and Babel’s stoppage time breakaway added a fourth.
5. Liverpool 1–0 Chelsea (Champions League semi-final, 2007)
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The way this semi-final victory in 2007 — which came at the height of the rivalry between Rafael Benitez and Jose Mourinho — makes it one of the most incredible nights in Anfield’s modern history. An early goal from Daniel Agger put the Reds ahead and level, with the game eventually going to penalties.
As Liverpool sent in all their penalties, Pepe Reina saved from Arjen Robben and Geremi to give Dirk Kuyt the chance to send the Merseysiders to the final. As the Dutch workhorse told Four Four Two 10 years later: “I still hear the noise in the stadium after I throw the ball home.”
4. Liverpool 3–1 Olympiakos (Champions League group stage, 2004)
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Liverpool needed to win by two clear goals to progress from the group stage in 2004–05 and were given a mountain to climb by Rivaldo’s first-half goal.
However, an inspired double substitution led to both Florent Sinama-Pongolle and Neil Mellor unexpectedly immortalizing themselves in the club’s history. Steven Gerrard’s late Piledriver, launched into the net like a torpedo, sent thousands to Anfield — including Sky Sports co-commentator Andy Gray — crackers. You beauty indeed.
3. Liverpool 4–3 Borussia Dortmund (Europa League quarter-final, 2016)
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With Liverpool trailing 2–0 after nine minutes and trailing 3–1 with half an hour left, their hopes of promotion to the last four of the Europa League were in tatters. Yet somehow Jurgen Klopp’s current side pulled off a phenomenal comeback against his former employers thanks to goals from Philippe Coutinho, Mamadou Sakho and Dejan Lovren.
“The atmosphere was the best I’ve ever experienced,” said a breathless Klopp afterwards. “It should be an example for everyone of how supporters can influence a team and a match.”
2. Liverpool 1–0 Chelsea (Champions League semi-final, 2005)
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Qualifying for a first European Cup final in 20 years will always secure a place in history, but to do so in such an unexpected way added another layer to Liverpool’s defeat to Chelsea in 2005. After all, this was a Blues side who were chasing the Premier League title, eventually finishing a massive 37 points ahead of Rafael Benitez’s men.
Luis Garcia’s controversial early goal ultimately proved to be the match winner, but Liverpool supporters still have nightmares about Eidur Gudjohnsen’s near-miss during the longest six minutes of stoppage time of their lives.
1. Liverpool 4–0 Barcelona (Champions League semi-final, 2019)
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Overcoming a 3–0 deficit from the first leg looked like a tall order, even before Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah, two-thirds of the Reds’ fearsome front line, were ruled out with injury. Divock Origi scored early, but Barcelona were yet to pull the strings, with Lionel Messi coming close to equalizing and then making several dangerous openings that forced Anfield to hold their breath.
Georginio Wijnaldum made it 2–0 on the night in the 54th minute and then upped the decibel levels by a few more steps by heading to Liverpool’s third within 120 seconds. From then on, it seemed inevitable that the Reds would find an aggregate winner, eventually handed to them by Origi in the 79th minute. This was a remarkable performance on the part of Jurgen Klopp, who followed it up with a 2–0 defeat to Tottenham in the final.
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