Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said he was “overwhelmed” after witnessing his side pull off the biggest Champions League semi-final comeback to beat Barcelona 4-3 on aggregate.
The Reds lost the first leg 3-0 but doubles from Georginio Wijnaldum and Divock Origi at Anfield took them into a final against Ajax or Tottenham.
“The whole game was too much,” a breathless Klopp told BT Sport.
“Winning is difficult but with a clean sheet, I don’t know how they did it.”
Klopp was almost giddy in the interview, checking it was past the watershed before swearing and saying he was happy to pay a fine.
“It means so much to all of us,” he said. “There are more important things in the world. But creating this emotional atmosphere together is so special. It’s all about the players.
“The mix of potential and unbelievable heart is just a mix I never saw before. It shows what’s possible in football. It’s so nice.”
It is the first time since 1986 – when Barcelona knocked out Gothenburg in the old European Cup – that a team have recovered a three-goal first-leg deficit to win a semi-final in this competition.
Wijnaldum said his team showed “everything is possible in football” after the comeback to reach their second consecutive Champions League final.
The midfielder replaced the injured Andy Robertson at half-time and scored twice, with Origi getting the winner.
“After the game in Spain we were confident we could score four and win 4-0,” he said.
“People outside doubted us. They thought we couldn’t do it. But once again we showed everything is possible in football.
“I was really angry that the manager put me on the bench. I just tried to help my team, I’m happy I could do that with two goals.”
The final is in Madrid on 1 June.
Klopp praised the inventive thinking of Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose quick corner – when Barca were still getting ready – found Origi to score the winner.
“We had to be serious,” he said. “But we needed to be cheeky as well. It was necessary.
“Barcelona defend predictable things well. But you need to be unpredictable at moments. I saw the ball flying in the goal, I didn’t see the corner. I didn’t see who took the corner.”
Right-back Alexander-Arnold said: “It was just instinct. I saw the opportunity.”
Liverpool left-back Robertson was injured by Luis Suarez – the former Reds striker proving a pantomime villain for the night. But the Scot did not seem bothered at the final whistle.
“Who’s going to the final? We are,” he said. “That’s all that matters. Gini went on [for me] and scored two. I don’t care right now.
“I’ve said so many times this season but what a team. People wrote us off. But we believed if we got off to a good start we could do it.”
And he feels they can still win the Premier League title. They need to beat Wolves on Sunday and hope leaders Manchester City drop points at Brighton to win their first league title since 1990.
“Fingers crossed,” he said. “We go to Sunday full of energy. It’s out of our hands but we’ve seen stranger things happen. Especially tonight.”
PHOTO/COURTESY
