Jurgen Klopp lauded his “unbelievable” players for a special victory against Barcelona that propelled this group into the Champions League final and Liverpool folklore.
Few expected to see the Reds make it to next month’s Madrid finale after a 3-0 first-leg defeat at the Nou Camp, but the five-time European champions will face Ajax or Tottenham after digging deep in stunning fashion.
Liverpool went ahead after just seven minutes through Divock Origi and kicked on in the second half, when substitute Georginio Wijnaldum’s quickfire brace was followed by Origi notching from a quick corner to seal a 4-0 win and progress 4-3 on aggregate.
Asked where this victory ranks, manager Klopp said with a smile: “Top three.
“It’s a special night, very special. Winning against Barcelona is obviously one of the most difficult things in the world of football.
“Winning against Barcelona when you’re 3-0 down, makes it not easier.
“We had to score four goals and was not allowed to concede pretty much.
“We made it more difficult, so we didn’t really think about it to be 100 per cent honest.
Origi bagged a brace against Barcelona.
“We tried to build on the performance in Barcelona and all the good things we did there and try to win the game step by step.
“We attacked with whatever we have and can throw on the pitch.
“That made it a really special game, it made us really difficult to play against tonight.
“What the boys did and that was this mix of again a big heart and football skills. It’s unbelievable.
“But then we know, and we didn’t learn in the first game and we knew it before already, if you have chances, you have to score because otherwise you get punished.
“Tonight we scored, in different ways.
“I said it so often now but the thing that made it really possible – and I said to the boys before ‘I don’t think it’s possible but because it’s you I think we have a chance’ – they are really mentality giants. It’s unbelievable.
“After the season we played, the games we had, the injuries we had now in this moment, if you go out there and ask who bet a penny on us, I don’t think you find a lot of people.
“So, and then going out there and putting a performance like this on the pitch is unbelievable.
“I am really proud to be manager of this team. It’s unbelievable what they did tonight. it’s so special.
“I will remember it forever 100 per cent because I don’t know if it happened before or it can happen again. I really don’t know. The boys did it, so it was brilliant.”
Provided by Press Association Sport
