Liverpool's victory is a triumph of the collective over the individual, even when that one is Lionel Messi

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  • Anfield witnessed the power of collective humanity.

    Every component brought football’s GOAT back to his first form.

    One individual, no matter how otherworldly his talent, is not enough when faced with the throbbing collaborative force of one team.

    And team is the operative word because for Liverpool that comprised of 50,000-plus supporters who rained lung particles on the Anfield pitch, the 14 players who left every sinew of muscle fibre there, too, and a manager with the psychological skill to forge these physical features.

    There was a wildness to it all.

    The extraction of emotional elements from different areas disbursed onto the pitch, powered each individual to produce an utterly compelling collective, while simultaneously siphoning belief from their opponents.

    Mentality won this tie and its watermarks are everywhere to prove it. Analyse the performance of the Liverpool players and there are personal displays which rank among their very best for the club.

    Hand out the same examination for Barcelona, and the opposite is true.

    Start from the back and there is Alisson, who made five stops of varying difficulty against one of the finest attacking contingents Europe has to offer.

    Alisson saves from Alba

    Alisson saves from Alba

    There was only one moment when the crowd groaned as Andy Robertson was forced off at half-time through injury, that reaction weighted by another exemplary performance.

    In the middle, Joel Matip produced a goal-saving interception when Jordi Alba maddeningly pulled back to Lionel Messi. He recovered possession, tackled well and bravely pressed out of defence with and without the ball.

    The Cameroonian deserves respect, a feeling which directed at his centre-back partner Virgil van Dijk is the only thing bigger than him.

    Again, the Dutchman was ice-cold amid the cauldron of red heat, barking his orders to organise tired troops late in the night.

    And what about Trent Alexander-Arnold. His piece of genius – a corner so quick in thought but applied through measured ability – will long be remembered, yet it cannot blanket his entire performance.

    The 20-year-old was a playmaker at right-back. Champions League opposition – think Manchester City last season – have mistaken him for a weak link to attack when in fact, he’s the one breaking defences apart.

    He has grown up in this competition, scored his first senior goal for the club in 2017/18’s play-off and come of age in it.

    Wijnaldum, Alexander-Arnold and Henderson

    Wijnaldum, Alexander-Arnold and Henderson

    In midfield, Jordan Henderson was a leader, he battled aggressively and used the ball intelligently while Fabinho led the way in statistical categories.

    Indeed, the Brazilian is less Samba beat and more Klopp-metal, amplified by him making Liverpool’s most tackles (four) and receiving their most fouls (three).

    James Milner started in the middle, was moved to left-back and then to tears at the end. The 33-year-old is out of contact next month, but there he was again, sacrificing and suffering, the ultimate team man.

    Suffer is an emotion tied to the two goalscorers. Divock Origi’s Liverpool career has been tough, but he displayed such mettle to manoeuvre his body with the ball in the air, drag it down and defenders along with him.

    The Belgian was direct and awkward, but then precise when required – two shots, two goals.

    Origi celebrates with his team-mates

    Origi celebrates with his team-mates

    Georginio Wijnaldum admitted to feeling anger at being dropped. But when brought on for Robertson, finished twice and ended Barca careers with one absurd passage of trickery.

    And finally to Xherdan Shaqiri for a glorious assist, and of course Sadio Mane in stepping up to shoulder the star quality, plus plug the energy vacuum left by Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah.

    A team of 10/10s, are better than one No10.

    Lionel Messi

    Lionel Messi

    In truth, Messi was excellent, directly involved in all eight of Barca’s opportunities. But the problem was this – his team-mates forced the ball to him and not at goal.

    Alba exemplified this when clean through, but he wasn’t alone. Messi made his vow to “deliver this glorious trophy” in his captain’s speech before the season kicked off.

    Yet the responsibility wasn’t his alone to fulfill this task. During this tie, it felt like it was.

    Liverpool divided and shared the responsibility between the collective – the fans, staff and players.

    Barca left it to Messi and for once it wasn’t enough.

    Alba, long considered the world’s best full-back, erred for two goals. Marc-Andre ter Stegen is regarded as being one of the top-two goalkeepers, yet should have done better with Wijnaldum’s first.

    Sergio Busquets was swallowed up, Gerard Pique spat the ball out of defence and the former Reds, Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho, wore the colour of their old shirts, one with embarrassment, the other rage.

    How can this all be explained? How did Liverpool score four and Barcelona not one?

    It’s very simple, as a team, you never walk alone. In Liverpool’s case, they ran, pressed and chased together energised by the Kop and Jurgen Klopp.

    In the end, Messi stood alone, as he was throughout the two ties.

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