THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2019 16 Liverpool pull off epic comeback Liverpool earn famous win over Barcelona to reach Champions League final

were caught napping by a quick- Two goals each ly-taken Alexander-Arnold cor- • ner that picked out Origi com- from Divock Origi pletely unmarked to fire high and Georginio into the net, sparking extraor- Wijnaldum saw the KNOW WHAT dinary celebrations. club “There have been glorious, entirely improbable games in overturn a 3-0 deficit Liverpool’s European history, Liverpool produced including the mind-bending AFP | Liverpool highs of Istanbul,” the Guard- one of the most memo- ian newspaper said. “But this iverpool manager Jurgen rable comebacks of all was something else, an effort of Klopp said his team had time will that, frankly, took the breath Lthe “mentality of giants” away.” after they pulled off one of the nied Jordan Henderson’s initial And while Liverpool are most remarkable turnarounds effort. dreaming of also grabbing the in Champions League history, Messi, who had dominated Premier League title this week- thrashing Lionel Messi’s Barce- the first leg with two goals, had end, Valverde’s future could be lona 4-0 to reach the final for the quickly and uncharacteristically bleak. second year running. been rattled by Liverpool de- “I do not know Stand-in striker Divock Ori- fender Andy Robertson, wagging how it’s going to gi and substitute Georginio his finger in the Scotsman’s face. affect me,” Val- Wijnaldum both scored twice as Liverpool were seemingly verde said. “But Lionel Messi’s side threw away a dealt another injury blow as here we are, 3-0 first leg lead and crashed out Robertson could not continue the coach at a frenzied Anfield. after half-time. But his replace- has to The nature of Liverpool’s vic- ment, Wijnaldum, was to have a take re- tory was quickly compared to Liverpool’s Belgian striker Divock Origi shoots to score dramatic impact. sponsi- the 2005 Champions League Liverpool goalkeeper Alis- bility.” final in Istanbul when they came coach Ernesto Valverde facing how they did it. to do something to help the team son Becker made an important back from 3-0 down to beat AC the sack. “It means so much to all of us. when I came on. save from Luis Suarez before Milan on penalties. Liverpool went into the match There are more important things “We believe it from the start. Wijnaldum sent Anfield into A season that threatened to deprived of two of their most in the world. But creating this People from outside (the club), raptures twice in a matter of end with Liverpool being pipped potent attacking weapons in emotional atmosphere together they thought it was not possible, minutes. to the Premier League title by Mohamed Salah and Roberto is so special. It’s all about the but we still managed to do this.” Firstly, the Dutch midfield- Manchester City this weekend Firmino due to injury. players. Origi would almost certainly er was found by Trent Alex - and exiting the Champions However, Origi and “It shows what’s possible in not have started the match had ander-Arnold’s low cross and League at the semi-final stage Wijnaldum stepped up magnif- football. It’s so nice.” Salah -- the Premier League’s drilled under Ter Stegen. will now culminate in a final icently, leaving Klopp to marvel top scorer this season with 22 And from Liverpool’s next at- against either Ajax or Totten- at his players in a joyous out- Point to prove goals -- and Firmino been fit. tack, Xherdan Shaqiri picked out ham in Madrid on June 1 when burst laced with profanities. Wijnaldum admitted he had But the 24-year-old Belgian Wijnaldum to head home at the they could become kings of Eu- “It’s 10 past 10, most of your been smarting at being forced has made a habit of scoring im- Kop end. rope for a sixth time. children are probably in bed but to start on the bench and felt he portant goals in Liverpool’s chal- Valverde desperately tried to For Barcelona, the crushing these boys are talented giants. had a point to prove. lenge for a first Premier League salvage the match, replacing for- Georginio defeat was the second consecu- It’s unbelievable,” he told BT “Once again we showed that title in 29 years and he notched mer Liverpool player Philippe Wijnaldum tive year they had surrendered Sport. everything is possible in foot- his first ever in the Champi - Coutinho with Nelson Semedo. celebrates a commanding first-leg lead “The whole game was too ball,” the Dutchman said. “I was ons League on seven minutes, The change briefly had an im- after scoring in this competition -- and the much. Winning is difficult but really angry at the manager that pouncing on the rebound after pact, but a sluggish Barca were scale of the capitulation leaves with a clean sheet, I don’t know he put me on the bench but I had Marc-Andre ter Stegen had de- made to look foolish when they

‘It’s very painful’: Valverde Coquelin takes subtle dig at Arsenal ahead of rocked by Barca collapse Europa League semi final against Valencia AFP | Liverpool Liverpool’s intensity and lost their cool after the Reds scored AFP | Madrid rnesto Valverde admit- twice in quick succession in Eted Barcelona had only the second half to level the tie rancis Coquelin has warned themselves to blame for their on aggregate. Fhis former club Arsenal that It would be a very “terrible” Champions League “Things got on top of us af- Valencia are ready to exploit special feeling to semi-final collapse at Liver- ter those two quick goals. We their fragility away from home win against Arsenal, pool on Tuesday. didn’t manage to get on the and pull off another stirring Barca were blown away on scoresheet and they rolled us fightback in the Europa League especially because I an incredible night at Anfield over really,” he said. semi-final today. couldn’t play in the as Liverpool won 4-0 to over- “It’s a terrible result for our Valencia trail 3-1 heading first game. But even turn a three-goal first-leg de- fans and for ourselves. It’s re- into the second leg at Mestal- more it would be feat. ally, really unfortunate, but la after Alexandre Lacazette’s special to reach the Liverpool are only the third credit to Liverpool. double and a late volley from final and make another team in the history of the Eu- “We tried to sit a little bit Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang small bit of history ropean Cup to recover from deeper, but the tie ended for put Arsenal firmly in charge of such a large semi-final deficit. us with the fourth goal. We the tie. with this club Barca boss Valverde conced- couldn’t respond.” Coquelin was suspended for FRANCIS COQUELIN ed his players failed to match It was a second successive the opener at Emirates Stadium Champions League humilia- but will return this week to face tion for Barca after they squan- the club where he spent 10 years believe we can do it. dered a 4-1 first-leg lead in the after joining as a 17-year-old in “The fans always help us a quarter-finals last season, go- 2008. lot at home, they did against ing out on away goals to Roma “It would be a very special Getafe in the cup when we made after losing the return 3-0. feeling to win against Arsenal, a spectacular comeback and the Valverde has just led Barca especially because I couldn’t team is ready to do the same to another Spanish title, but play in the first game,” Coquelin again.” he was asked if the collapse at said on Tuesday. “But even more Like Arsenal, Valencia’s hopes Anfield would undermine his it would be special to reach the Valencia’s Francis Coquelin celebrates scoring a goal (file photo) of Champions League qualifi- position at the Camp Nou. final and make another small bit cation are likely to rest on the “I do not know how it’s go- of history with this club.” continued. Their away record back this season too. In the Copa Europa League, given they sit ing to affect me, here we are, Coquelin left Arsenal in Jan- this season is the 10th best in del Rey, they trailed Getafe and three points adrift of Getafe in the coach has to take respon- uary 2018 after struggling to get the Premier League. Real Betis before beating both , with two games left sibility,” he said. first-team football under Arsene “Away from home they are a en route to the final, which they to play. “It’s very painful for us, es- Wenger and the Frenchman has different team,” Coquelin said. will play against Barcelona on Arsenal, meanwhile, will need pecially for our people, it’s the been rivitalised this season, hav- “They drop the intensity a little May 25. to beat Burnley and hope Tot- second year they’ve come back ing been handed a more creative bit and that means we can score “The team is ready to make a tenham lose at home to Ever- like that.” role in midfield by Marcelino. goals and do damage, especially comeback,” said Coquelin. “The ton this weekend, while also The Catalan club haven’t Despite the appointment of with the attack that we have.” goal we scored there helps us a overturning an eight-goal swing Barcelona’s Spanish coach Ernesto won the Champions League as coach, Arsenal’s Valencia have shown them- lot. It will be a difficult game in goal difference to make the Valverde reacts during the match since 2015. weakness in away games has selves capable of a cup come- but with the quality we have, we Premier League’s top four.