Champions League Squads of the Season #1: Liverpool 2018-19

 Champions League Squads of the Season: Liverpool 2018-19

Liverpool's road to success in Madrid was undoubtedly one of the most incredible fairy-tale stories in the Champions League, as the Reds overcame many obstacles en route to European Cup No. 6. The road to Madrid was not easy as the Reds had to overcome the likes of PSG, Bayern Munich and Barcelona to win the first trophy in the Jurgen Klopp era, including producing one of the greatest Champions League comebacks of all time, turning around a 3-0 deficit in the semi-finals against Barcelona, and win 4-0 in Anfield, securing a spot in their second consecutive final. Mo Salah and Divock Origi quenched the sorrow of Kyiv one year ago as the Reds defeated fellow Premier League side, Tottenham Hotspurs in Madrid to win Number 6. It was a miracle season for Liverpool as they won their first Champions League in 14 years. 

The Squad (Players who were featured):

#3: Fabinho (Brazil, DM/CB/RB)

#4: Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands, CB)

#5: Georginio Wijnaldum (Netherlands, CM/DM)

#6: Dejan Lovren (Croatia, CB)

#7: James Milner (England, DM/CM/LB/RB)

#8: Naby Keita (Guinea, CM/CAM)

#9: Roberto Firmino (Brazil, ST/CAM)

#10: Sadio Mane (Senegal, LW/RW/ST)

#11: Mohamed Salah (Egypt, RW/ST)

#12: Joe Gomez (England, CB/RB)

#13: Alisson (Brazil, GK)

#14: Jordan Henderson (England, DM/CM)

#15: Daniel Sturridge (England, ST)

#18: Alberto Moreno (Spain, LB/LWB)

#20: Adam Lallana (England, CM/CAM)

#21: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (England, CM/CAM/RW)

#22: Simon Mignolet (Belgium, GK)

#23: Xherdan Shaqiri (Switzerland, LW/RW/CAM)

#24: Rhian Brewster (England, ST)

#26: Andrew Robertson (Scotland, LB)

#27: Divock Origi (Belgium, ST)

#32: Joel Matip (Cameroon, CB)

#58: Ben Woodburn (England, CM,/CAM/LW/ ST)

#62: Ciaomhin Kelleher (Ireland, GK)

#66: Trent Alexander-Arnold (England, RB/RWB)

The Run:

Group Stage:

Group C: 

MD1: Paris Saint Germain (h) 3-2 (Sturridge 35', Milner 38' (P), Firmino 90+1')

MD2: Napoli (a) 0-1

MD3: Crvena Zvezda (h) 4-0 (Firmino 20', Salah 45', 51' (P), Mane 80')

MD4: Crvena Zvezda (a) 0-2 

MD5: Paris Saint Germain (a) 1-2 (Milner 45+1' (P) )

MD6: Napoli (h) 1-0 (Salah 34')

Qualified as group runners-up

Round of 16: 

Leg 1: Bayern Munich (h) 0-0 

Leg 2: Bayern Munich (a) 3-1 (Mane 26', 84', Van Dijk 69')

Won 3-1 on aggregate 

Quarter-Finals: 

Leg 1: Porto (h) 2-0 (Keita 5', Firmino 26')

Leg 2: Porto (a) 4-1 (Mane 26', Salah 65', Firmino 77', Van Dijk 84')

Won 6-1 on aggregate 

Semi-Finals:

Leg 1:  Barcelona (a) 0-3

Leg 2: Barcelona (h) 4-0 (Origi 7', 78', Wijnaldum 54', 56')

Won 4-3 on aggregate

Final: 

Tottenham Hotspurs (Wanda Metropolitano, Madrid) 2-0 (Salah 2' (P), Origi 87')

FINISHING PLACE: WINNERS 

Liverpool qualified for the 2018-19 Champions League after finishing fourth in the 2017-18 Premier League. The Reds also managed to qualify for back-to-back Champions Leagues for the first time since 2010. The Reds also miraculously reached the final in the 2017-18 Champions League, only to fall short to Real Madrid, after losing 3-1 in the NSC Olimpiskiy Stadium in Kyiv. However, over the summer of 2018, the Reds decided to fix the team, bringing in the likes of Naby Keita, Fabinho, Xherdan Shaqiri and Alisson Becker. For the draw, the Reds were placed in pot 3 and were scheduled to face Ligue 1 champions, Paris Saint-Germain, Italian heavyweights, Napoli, and Serbian champions, Crvena Zvezda. Ultimately, it was a tough group for Jurgen Klopp's men, however, they sought to make do with this tough group. 

GROUP C: Paris Saint Germain, Napoli, LIVERPOOL, Crvena Zvezda

Liverpool kicked off their Champions League campaign at home against Paris Saint Germain. At the time, they made a winning start to the season, winning every game in Ligue 1. This encounter would be the first time Liverpool and PSG met in the Champions League. The hosts made an incredible start to the game, leading 2-0 by the 40th minute, with goals from club veterans, Daniel Sturridge and James Milner. However, PSG right-back, Thomas Meunier pulled one back before half-time, with Liverpool taking a slim 1-0 lead into the first half. With time running out, Kylian Mbappe scored the equaliser in the 83rd minute, looking to bring a point to PSG. However, a super finish from Roberto Firmino in the 91st minute gave Liverpool all three points, and a winning start to the Champions League. The next matchday, the Reds travelled to Naples to face off against Napoli. It looked like the teams would share the points, but Lorenzo Insigne's last-minute winner rescued a win for Carlo Ancelotti's men. Liverpool returned to winning ways by grabbing a resounding 4-0 win at home to Crvena Zvezda, with goals from Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah, and Sadio Mane. However, defeats to Crvena Zvezda and PSG in the next two matchdays, left Liverpool in a tight position. Liverpool sat in third with 6 points to second place, Napoli's 9. Mohamed Salah managed to net in a 1-0 win while Alisson Becker made a stunning save to deny Arkadiusz Milik in stoppage time. Liverpool managed to qualify based on goals scored as Jurgen Klopp's side survived by the scrape of their teeth. 

ROUND OF 16: LIVERPOOL VS Bayern Munich  

On the 17th of December 2018, five days after Liverpool's much-needed victory over Napoli, the draw for the Round of 16 took place in Nyon, Switzerland. Liverpool were paired with Bundesliga champions, Bayern Munich, who topped a group containing Ajax, AEK Athens, and Benfica. Leg 1 took place on the 20th of February on a shivering evening in Anfield. Liverpool had a bit of a blow with defenders, Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Dejan Lovren out of the squad due to suspension and injury. The Reds managed to hold on and secure a goalless draw with all to play for in Munich. Liverpool turned into a different team when they faced off Bayern in the Allianz Arena, with Sadio Mane being the standout player. Mane stunned both Neuer and Sule by scoring one of the goals of the season, when he skillfully turned past the German duo before chipping the ball into the back of Neuer's net. Joel Matip scored an unfortunate own goal to give Bayern Munich the equalizer 13 minutes later, making it 1-1 going into the half time break. Around 20 minutes into the second half, Virgil Van Dijk headed Liverpool back into the game, with Mane sealing the win in the 84th minute, and Liverpool's place in the last 8. 

QUARTER FINALS: LIVERPOOL VS Porto

A few days after Liverpool's emphatic night in Bavaria, the draw for the last 8 and further on took place. Liverpool were arguably the luckiest team in the draw and were handed with arguably the easiest team in the draw, Portugal's FC Porto. Porto topped Group D, including Schalke 04, Galatasaray and Lokomotiv Moskva. They were paired against AS Roma, one of the teams Liverpool faced en route to the Champions League final the previous season. They lost the first leg in Rome, 2-1 but were able to turn it around in Porto by defeating the side 3-1 in extra time. Liverpool played the first leg in Anfield and took a 2-0 lead inside the first half an hour, courtesy of goals from Roberto Firmino and Naby Keita, with the latter scoring his first goal in Liverpool colours. Taking the 2-0 lead, Liverpool travelled to Portugal in hopes of sealing the tie. Which they did so in style as Jurgen Klopp's men sealed off a comfortable 4-1 victory, with goals from Sadio Mané, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, and Virgil van Dijk. 

SEMI FINALS: Barcelona vs LIVERPOOL 

As part of the of the quarter finals draw, Liverpool were scheduled to face either Barcelona or Manchester United if they were to progress. Indeed, it was Barcelona who would win their tie and progress to face each other off. With both teams fighting for a place in the final in Madrid, it was all to play for in both legs. The Reds would first take a journey to Catalonia to play Barcelona for the first time since 2007, when Liverpool progressed to the quarter finals via away goals. However, Liverpool's night in Barcelona turned into a disaster, as former talisman, Luis Suarez got on the scoresheet before Lionel Messi's masterclass gave Barcelona a 3-0 lead in the tie. Liverpool knew they had to get at least three goals without conceding if they want to be in the Spanish final. In a stunning turn of events, Liverpool produced one of the greatest Champions League comebacks of all time, and won the game 4-0, with goals coming from braces of Divock Origi and Georginio Wijnaldum stunning Ernesto Valverde's side and sending the Reds into another Champions League final.

THE FINAL: Tottenham Hotspurs vs LIVERPOOL

Liverpool's date with destiny came against fellow Premier League side, Tottenham Hotspurs, who were appearing in their first Champions League final in their history. Spur's journey to Madrid was also spectacular as they defeated the likes of Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City, while producing an incredible comeback of their own in the semi finals, when Lucas Moura's hat-trick turned around a 3-0 deficit on aggregate, leaving Spurs to win on away goals. 

Liverpool couldn't have asked for a better start to the final in Madrid, as Sadio Mane's attempted cross was handball by Moussa Sissoko, awarding Liverpool a penalty inside two minutes. Mo Salah stepped up for the Reds and made no mistake from 12 yards out, striking the ball down the middle, making it 1-0 of the night. Liverpool continued attacks throughout the rest of the first half but couldn't find the goal to double their lead, meaning Liverpool would go into the first half holding onto a slim 1-0 lead. In the second half, Tottenham turned on full attack and came close many times, but Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker brought on their A-game as the Dutchman made some clinical tackles while the big Brazilian stopper made some amazing saves to deny Tottenham. Eventually, Liverpool would seal the deal of the evening as Divock Origi's 87th minute strike won the Champions League for the Merseyside team, and ended Liverpool's 7-year trophy draught in style. Soon, the wait was over. 14 years since Steven Gerrard inspired his team in Istanbul to overcome a 3-0 deficit to AC Milan to win on penalties, it was Jordan Henderson's turn to lift the Champions League. It was Jurgen Klopp's first trophy as Liverpool manager as Mo Salah becomes the first Egyptian player to win the Champions League. 

Picture Above: Jordan Henderson lifts the Champions League trophy as Liverpool win their sixth Champions League title. 

Liverpool's route to success is undoubtedly one of the greatest stories in the history of Champions League, proving that anything in the Champions League is possible. The Reds overcame the likes of PSG, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona before ending an incredible season with victory in Madrid over Tottenham. Liverpool are yet to win the Champions League since 2019 but I'm sure we can all agree that they'll win the title sooner or later.