Liverpool are synonymous with European nights at Anfield, the iconic Kop providing an unrivalled atmosphere in high-pressured games when welcoming the continent's best teams.
There's a certain weight of history that gives games at Anfield an extra edge, too, and there have been plenty of dramatic, enthralling and completely crazy games on Merseyside in the past 30 years.
Here, we’ve picked out the 10 best European nights at the Reds’ famous stadium since their return to continental competition in 1991.
10. Liverpool 2-1 Juventus (Champions League quarter-final, 2005)
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 clash in 2005, there was little doubt that Juve had the stronger team.
Yet for all that, a Steven Gerrard-less side somehow won 2-1 at Anfield thanks to superb early goals from Sami Hyypia and Luis Garcia. The Reds then went to the Stadio delle Alpi and defended stoutly to steal a 0-0 and progress to the last four.
9. Liverpool 4-0 Real Madrid (Champions League last 16, 2009)
To many, this was Liverpool’s best squad of the last 20 years, featuring an in-form Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano, Sami Hyypia, Jamie Carragher and Pepe Reina.
Having won 1-0 in the Bernabeu, Rafael Benitez’s charges demolished the Spanish giants 4-0 at Anfield – with Andrea Dossena, of all people, lobbing in the fourth. How this side didn’t win the Premier League remains a mystery to fans of the club. (The answer, which they wouldn't like, is Sir Alex Ferguson.)
8. Liverpool 1-0 Barcelona (UEFA Cup semi-final, 2001)
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 characteristic Benitez-style pair of results: 0-0 away, 1-0 at home.
Having neutralised the likes of Rivaldo and Patrick Kluivert to draw 0-0 at the Camp Nou, the Frenchman’s side then completed the job at home. Gary McAllister’s penalty just before half-time gave the Reds a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Anfield was rocking under the lights, and a first European trophy in 17 years was scooped the following the month.
7. Liverpool 2-0 Roma (Champions League group stage, 2002)
After winning the UEFA Cup the previous year, Gerard Houllier set about achieving Champions League success in 2001-02. Having been stricken with a heart problem, the Frenchman returned to the dugout for the visit of Roma to Anfield.
This was a time when the Champions League consisted of two group stages and Liverpool had 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 did the trick.
6. Liverpool 4-2 Arsenal (Champions League quarter-final, 2008)
After a 1-1 draw at the Emirates, this all-English quarter-final was finely poised. Arsenal took an early lead through Abou Diaby, but Liverpool hit back via Sami Hyypia and Fernando Torres to turn the game on its head.
However, a stupendous 84th-minute run from Theo Walcott set up Emmanuel Adebayor to score for 2-2, a result which would take 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 injury-time breakaway added a fourth.
5. Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea (Champions League semi-final, 2007)
The manner of this semi-final win in 2007 – which came at the height of the Rafael Benitez vs Jose Mourinho rivalry – 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 on aggregate, with the game eventually going to penalties.
While Liverpool dispatched all their spot-kicks, 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 FourFourTwo 10 years later, “I can still hear the noise in the stadium after slotting the ball home.”
4. Liverpool 3-1 Olympiacos (Champions League group stage, 2004)
Needing to win by two clear goals to progress from the group stage in 2004-05, Liverpool 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 immortalising themselves in the club’s history. Steven Gerrard’s late piledriver, launched into the net like a torpedo, sent thousands inside Anfield – including Sky Sports co-commentator Andy Gray – crackers. You beauty indeed.
3. Liverpool 4-3 Borussia Dortmund (Europa League quarter-final, 2016)
With Liverpool 2-0 down after nine minutes, then 3-1 behind with half an hour to go, their hopes of progression to the last four of the Europa League lay in tatters. Yet somehow Jurgen Klopp’s current side produced a phenomenal comeback against his former employers thanks to goals from Philippe Coutinho, Mamadou Sakho and Dejan Lovren.
“The atmosphere was the best I have ever experienced,” a breathless Klopp said afterwards. “It should serve as an example to everyone about how supporters can influence a team and influence a game.”
2. Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea (Champions League semi-final, 2005)
Qualifying for a first European Cup final in 20 years will always ensure a place in history, but to do so in such unexpected fashion added another layer to Liverpool’s defeat of Chelsea in 2005. This, after all, was a Blues side who were romping to the Premier League title, eventually finishing a mammoth 37 points ahead of Rafael Benitez’s men.
Luis Garcia’s controversial early goal eventually 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)
Overturning a 3-0 deficit from the first leg looked a tall order even before Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah, two-thirds of the Reds’ fearsome frontline, were ruled out with injury. Divock Origi scored early on but Barcelona weren’t on the ropes yet, with Lionel Messi going close to an equaliser and then fashioning several dangerous openings that compelled Anfield to hold its breath.
Georginio Wijnaldum made it 2-0 on the night in the 54th minute, then raised the decibel levels by a few more notches by heading home Liverpool’s third within 120 seconds. From that moment on it seemed inevitable that the Reds would find an aggregate winner, which was eventually given to them by Origi in the 79th minute. This was a remarkable performance from Jurgen Klopp’s side, who followed it up with a 2-0 defeat of Tottenham in the final.
