Liverpool stun Barca to reach Champions League final
Tuesday, May 07, 2019
Divock Origi (right) celebrates with Xherdan Shaqiri (left) after scoring Liverpool's fourth to complete the comeback. Net photo.

Liverpool produced one of the greatest comebacks in Champions League history as Divock Origi and Georginio Wijnaldum scored twice to beat Barcelona 4-0 and progress to the final for the second consecutive year 4-3 on aggregate on Tuesday.

The Reds not only had a mountain to climb on the scoreboard, but were deprived of two of their most potent attacking weapons in Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino due to injury.

However, Origi and substitute Wijnaldum were the unlikely heroes as Barca surrendered a three-goal first-leg lead to exit the Champions League for the second straight season.

Georginio Wijnaldum celebrates scoring Liverpool's third goal to bring them level with Barcelona on aggregate

Despite the despondency of losing Salah and Firmino, Jurgen Klopp's men never lost faith and were accompanied by a typically raucous Anfield atmosphere on a European night.

Origi would almost certainly not have started had Salah and Firmino been fit.

The second-half substitute rose highest to head in his second goal just minutes after scoring his first for the hosts

But the Belgian has made a habit of scoring important goals in Liverpool's challenge for a first Premier League title in 29 years and he had his first ever in the Champions League on seven minutes on the rebound after Marc-Andre ter Stegen had denied Jordan Henderson's purposeful burst from midfield.

Liverpool have blown plenty of sides away in early bursts under Klopp, most notably hitting three inside the first half-hour at Anfield against Manchester City in last season's Champions League quarterfinal.

Wijnaldum runs to celebrate in front of the Kop after bringing the aggregate score back to 3-3 during the second half

Barca looked rattled as Sergi Roberto's short backpass nearly played Origi in.

However, the visitors soon started to pose a threat themselves in search of the away goal that would kill the tie.

Lionel Messi had turned the tie in Barcelona's favour late in the first leg with a brilliant free-kick and his first effort was tipped over by Alisson Becker before the Brazilian denied international teammate Philippe Coutinho.

The 28-year-old latched on to a cross to put his shot low and hard past Barcelona's German goalkeeper

Another former Liverpool favourite Luis Suarez promised not to celebrate if he scored on his former stomping ground, but there was no love lost for the Uruguayan among the home faithful as he was showered with abuse after trying to buy cheap free-kicks.

Ter Stegen nervously parried an Andy Robertson drive and Alisson saved from Jordi Alba at the end of a pulsating first half.

Liverpool were seemingly dealt another injury blow as Robertson could not continue after halftime, but he made way for Wijnaldum with James Milner moving to left-back.

Wijnaldum sends Anfield wild

Alisson made another important save from Suarez before Wijnaldum sent Anfield wild twice inside two minutes.

Firstly, the Dutch midfielder was picked out by Trent Alexander-Arnold's low cross and drilled under Ter Stegen.

Liverpool's No 5 celebrates by picking up the ball and running back to the halfway line to get play restarted

Ter Stegen is unable to keep the ball out as Wijnaldum scores Liverpool's second goal to send fans into a frenzy

The Dutchman hangs in the air as he watches the ball fly into Marc-Andre ter Stegen's net during the second half

And from Liverpool's next attack, Shaqiri picked out Wijnaldum to head home at the Kop end.

Barca coach Ernesto Valverde tried to restore some order as Coutinho, who cost £142 million ($186 million) when moving between the clubs in January 2018, was replaced for the second time in the tie by Nelson Semedo to allow the visitors to switch to a four-man midfield.

The change briefly had an impact, but Barca were inexplicably caught cold from a quick Alexander-Arnold corner 11 minutes from time that picked out Origi completely unmarked to fire high past Ter Stegen.

Origi runs over to celebrates with Alexander-Arnold after scoring the fourth goal to put Liverpool in the lead on aggregate

The Belgian striker quickly reacted to a brilliant corner from Trent Alexander-Arnold to complete a spectacular comeback

Origi is swarmed by his Liverpool team-mates after scoring the fourth goal to send Anfield into a frenzy on Tuesday

Agencies