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Alvaro Morata of Atletico Madrid celebrates after scoring the team's third goal in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second-leg game against Liverpool at Anfield in Liverpool, England, March 11, 2020. /VCG
There's simply no home ground in sports more magical than Anfield. Whatever it is, be it the championship lineage, the century of history, the passionate support of The Kop, there is something about that pitch that gives Liverpool an advantage no other side can boast. They had 22 consecutive wins at Anfield between February 9, 2019 and March 7, 2020 and during that time, they rarely if ever even conceded a single goal. Under manager Jurgen Klopp, Anfield was defiantly their turf and everyone else had to be thankful for the chance to play on it.
While the sheer consistency of the Reds in the 2019/20 Premier League season is undeniable, the shining example of Anfield magic came during last year's Champions League semi-final against FC Barcelona. Overturning a 3-0 deficit received at the Camp Nou seemed impossible – until kick-off. Origi scored in less than 10 minutes, the team kept the pressure high, Wijnaldum scored a brace within 11 minutes of play resuming in the second half and Origi returned to the scoresheet in the 79th minute with a cheeky tap in from a surprise Trent Alexander-Arnold corner. A resounding 4-0 in face of complete capitulation.
Roberto Firmino of Liverpool celebrates after scoring the team's second goal in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second-leg game against Atletico Madrid at Anfield, March 11, 2020. /VCG
The reason why this is important is that in Wednesday's second leg against Atletico Madrid, all Liverpool had to do was overturn the one goal they conceded at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium a little under a month ago.
And from the start it felt like history was repeating itself. Ignoring the opening 10 seconds in which Diego Costa found the side netting, Liverpool took control from the start and, once again, it became a game of faces vs. heels. By the end of the first 20 minutes, Liverpool had found their flow and forced Atletico to sit deep but Diego Simeone's team were very clearly relishing their role as villains, the upsetters, and doing everything they could to antagonize Liverpool and their fans.
Every dead ball play was finicky and exasperating, and their defense was rock solid. It isn't enough to talk about the back four of Renan Lodi, Felipe, Stefan Savic and Kieran Trippier because the whole team was often in the box, protecting goalkeeper Jan Oblak with a forest of players.
Georginio Wijnaldum (C) of Liverpool celebrates after scoring the team's first goal in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second-leg game against Atletico Madrid at Anfield, March 11, 2020. /VCG
This plan worked too and Liverpool spent 43 minutes of the first half missing goals and getting frustrated until Gigi Wijnaldum, who scored two against Barcelona last year, finally found the net with a fantastic header. It was now 1-1 on aggregate and, coming so close to half time, Atletico had no chance to look for a quick response.
This revitalized the Redmen and the second half was all Liverpool. With half an hour left, Atletico were already playing for penalties and Diego Costa, awful since the 14th second of play, got replaced with Marcos Llorente. And yet, the Spanish side couldn't be counted out; as the clock approached full time, there was a palpable nerviness in the air. This was Liverpool at Anfield, they always find ways a to win – but it was also Atletico's game. They frustrate and bully then strike when the time is right.
Adrian, goalkeeper of Liverpool looks dejected in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second-leg game against Atletico Madrid at Anfield, March 11, 2020. /VCG
The tension snapped in added time. At 90+2, Trent Alexander-Arnold, who had been great all night, gave away a pointless free kick which was converted by Saul Niguez, but offside. It didn't matter though as Atletico rushed the pitch before the VAR decision had even begun, killing even more of the clock before the final whistle pushed it into the extra time.
This particular section of football – second leg extra time – is by far the most controversial. It's a whole two-thirds of a half more and it's only applicable here, meaning it benefits the away side by default – even if the first leg goes to a draw, there is no extra time. Four minutes in, Roberto Firmino scored and put Liverpool ahead 2-1 and the game should have been over. Atletico had now spent more than a whole game grinding away with nothing to show for it. Their only path to success would be a miracle.
Three minutes later, Alexander-Arnold played the ball back to Liverpool's reserve goalkeeper Adrian – standing in for the injured Alisson Becker – who messed up his clearance and aimed it directly at Felix. He then passed it on to Llorente who easily sent it beyond the panicking goalie. Suddenly, everyone at Anfield had nightmare flashbacks to Loris Karius' performance against Real Madrid in the 2017/18 Champions League final. It was now 2-2, Atletico winning on away goals.
Jan Oblak (L), goalkeeper of Atletico Madrid, saves a shot by Roberto Firmino of Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second-leg game at Anfield, March 11, 2020. /VCG
Liverpool continued to batter the Atletico goal, and continued to miss, and in the 107th minute Llorente got his second. In the dying moments of the game, Atletico actually begun to play like a real football team and the home side looked lost. They needed two goals in just over 20 minutes and, for the first time, a Liverpool side in a big European game at Anfield seemed incapable.
Divock Origi and Fabinho were brought on for Wijnaldum and captain Jordan Henderson at the extra half time. Klopp wanted bodies forward for an all out attack, and it's what he got. For 15 minutes, Liverpool threw everything they had at Jan Oblak and the Atletico squad who had turned into a whole side of defenders. And then, in the 121 minute, Alvaro Morata broke free and scored. After two hours, Atletico Madrid won 3-2 – all of their goals came in extra time. Simeone's plan had worked, only this time he'd gone deeper than ever and waited to enter unknown territory before launching his counterpunch to knock Klopp's side out cold.
Diego Simeone, manager of Arletico Madrid, celebrates as the team score the second goal in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second-leg game against Liverpool at Anfield, March 11, 2020. /VCG
Liverpool were stunned, and rightfully so. Football stats site Transfermarkt says they had a total of 50 shots on the night, 34 of which were on target, and yet only two were converted to goals. It's a horrible ratio no matter how it's sliced. They should have had the game won many time over, they had it won once and yet it's the man in black, Diego Simeone, who came away with the ticket to the quarterfinals.
On February 15, 2020, Liverpool were undefeated in over a year at home, and hadn't lost at all since the beginning of their Champions League title defense in Napoli. Since that date, they have lost four out of six games, been knocked to of the FA Cup and are now out of the Champions League. Anything can happen in this sport. To quote Sir Alex Ferguson, "football, bloody hell."
