Liverpool needs nothing short of a miracle as they host Barcelona at Anfield, but as history will tell us, it’s not impossible.
The Reds trail 3-0 after a rough first leg that saw the visitors fail to hit the target despite periods of dominance at the Camp Nou, and nothing short of a perfect performance will see them through to the Champions League final.
[ LIVE: Liverpool v. Barcelona ]
Still, there is historical precedent for the necessary result, with Barcelona having been on either side of a miracle comeback in recent history. Roma erased a 4-1 first-leg defeat to Barcelona with a stunning 3-0 home victory, while PSG was on the wrong end of a Barcelona comeback after a 4-0 first-leg result that was turned on its head by a 6-1 home win for the Catalans.
And yet, it still feels like a gargantuan challenge given all the injuries Liverpool is dealing with. Most notably, they are without both Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, two of the three-headed attacking monster. That will leave much of the weight on Sadio Mane’s shoulders as they hope to find their shooting boots.
LINEUPS
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, van Dijk, Matip, Robertson; Fabinho, Milner, Henderson, Shaqiri; Mane, Origi.
Bench: Mignolet, Lovren, Gomez, Brewster, Woodburn, Wijnaldum, Sturridge.
Barcelona: ter Stegen; Alba, Lenglet, Pique, Roberto; Busquets, Rakitic, Coutinho, Vidal; Suarez, Messi.
Bench: Cillessen, Vermaelen, Umtiti, Malcom, Arthur, Alena, Semedo.
