Liverpool‘s route to the Champions League final began in August last year with a qualifier against Bundesliga side Hoffenheim.
Here Press Association looks at their progress from Germany to Ukraine.
Hoffenheim 1 Liverpool 2 (Champions League qualifier, August 15, 2017)
After Simon Mignolet saved Andrej Kramaric’s penalty teenager Trent Alexander-Arnold marked his European debut with a maiden goal courtesy of a brilliant free-kick. Havard Nordtveit’s own goal made it 2-0 to the Reds, but Mark Uth pulled one back in the 87th minute.
Trent Alexander-Arnold announced himself with his free-kick goal.
Liverpool 4 Hoffenheim 2 (Champions League qualifier, August 23, 2017)
Three goals in the opening 21 minutes from Emre Can (two) and Mohamed Salah put the game beyond the visitors and although Uth pulled one back before half-time, Roberto Firmino made it 6-2 on aggregate before Sandro Wagner’s late consolation.
Can starred in the second leg of the qualifier.
Liverpool 2 Sevilla 2 (Champions League group stage, September 13, 2017)
Liverpool’s return to the Champions League after a 1,009-day absence got off to a terrible start with Wissam Ben Yedder scoring in front of the Kop after just five minutes. Firmino and Salah turned things around within 32 minutes but Joaquin Correa’s equaliser was compounded by Joe Gomez’s late red card.
Liverpool were left to rue their defensive frailty against Sevilla – and it wouldn’t be the last time.
Spartak Moscow 1 Liverpool 1 (Champions League group stage, September 26, 2017)
Fernando’s free-kick midway through the first half was cancelled out by Philippe Coutinho, who the club managed to hold on to after rejecting a transfer request weeks earlier. The Brazilian’s goal was the 200th of Jurgen Klopp’s reign.
A draw against Spartak meant Liverpool had only taken two points from their first two games.
Maribor 0 Liverpool 7 (Champions League group stage, October 17, 2017)
Liverpool recorded the biggest away European victory by an English team as they ran riot in Slovenia, racing into a 4-0 half-time lead with goals from Firmino, Coutinho and Salah (two). After the break Firmino doubled his tally before summer signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored his first goal for the club with Alexander-Arnold completing the rout.
Liverpool ran riot against an overmatched Maribor.
Liverpool 3 Maribor 0 (Champions League group stage, November 1, 2017)
The resistance of the visitors was eventually broken after half-time with Salah, Can and Daniel Sturridge all on the scoresheet, with James Milner also missing a penalty.
There was a rare – and welcome – goal for Daniel Sturridge against Maribor.
Sevilla 3 Liverpool 3 (Champions League group stage, November 21, 2017)
Liverpool blew the chance to qualify for the knockout stages with a match to spare after squandering a three-goal half-time lead given to them by Firmino (two) and Sadio Mane. However, a dramatic second half saw Yedder score twice before Guido Pizarro snatched a stoppage-time equaliser.
Liverpool were stunned by a Sevilla comeback that erased a 3-0 lead.
Liverpool 7 Spartak Moscow 0 (Champions League group stage, December 6, 2017)
Coutinho scored his first hat-trick for the club – and the first for Liverpool in the Champions League in 10 years – as qualification was secured in style. Mane (two), Firmino and Salah were the other scorers.
Coutinho, captain for the night, led his side into the knockout round.
Porto 0 Liverpool 5 (Champions League last 16, February 14)
Liverpool became the leading scorers in this season’s competition as Mane’s hat-trick helped the Reds inflict Porto’s heaviest home European defeat. Salah scored a memorable goal which involved some clever juggling with Firmino getting his customary goal.
Mane’s hat-trick put Liverpool in command of their Round of 16 tie.
Liverpool 0 Porto 0 (Champions League last 16, March 6)
With the job done in Portugal three weeks previously the return was something of a damp squib, which suited Liverpool as they booked a quarter-final place for the first time in nine years.
Liverpool’s mammoth first-leg win meant the second leg was a formality.
Liverpool 3 Manchester City 0 (Champions League quarter-final, April 4)
It was the draw neither side wanted but Liverpool produced a real statement of intent as they blew away Pep Guardiola’s side in a 19-minute first-half spell at Anfield, in which Salah, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mane all scored.
Liverpool blew City away with a ruthless first-leg performance.
Manchester City 1 Liverpool 2 (Champions League quarter-final, April 10)
City sensed an upset when Gabriel Jesus scored after just two minutes and Liverpool had to weather a considerable storm in the first half. They also enjoyed a stroke of luck when Leroy Sane’s goal on the stroke of half-time was incorrectly ruled out for offside. A furious Pep Guardiola was sent to the stand for his protests and Liverpool took full advantage with Salah and Firmino on target after the break.
Salah killed any hope of a City comeback.
Liverpool 5 Roma 2 (Champions League semi-final, April 24)
Salah put in a superb display with two goals and two assists as Liverpool’s fearsome firepower saw them take a 5-0 lead in 68 minutes with a scintillating display of football. Firmino (two) and Mane also scored but the mood was dampened by Edin Dzeko and Diego Perotti’s penalty in the last nine minutes.
Salah and Firmino led Liverpool to an emphatic victory in the first leg…
Roma 4 Liverpool 2 (Champions League semi-final, May 2)
Another incredible game saw Liverpool grab an early away goal through Mane which was supposed to put the tie beyond the Italians. Even after James Milner’s freakish own goal Georginio Wijnaldum’s first away from home in almost three years seemed to have done enough, but Dzeko scored early in the second half and two goals from Radja Nainggolan, including a penalty with virtually the last kick of the game, produced a chaotic ending.
…but they had to survive a nervy second leg before confirming their spot in the final.
