The Greatest Liverpool comebacks in Europe

• The Europa League resumes tonight and one fixture that fans are interested in is Atalanta vs Liverpool
• Looking at the greatest Liverpool comebacks in Europe, you can’t rule out the possibility of the Reds producing a turnaround against Atalanta
• The two clubs clash tonight at 10 pm

Read on as we take a trip down memory lane and remember the greatest Liverpool comebacks in Europe. The Europa League resumes tonight and one fixture that fans are interested in is Atalanta vs Liverpool. The Reds suffered a shock 3-0 loss against Atalanta at Anfield Stadium last week and will be aiming to pull off an incredible comeback if they’re to progress to the semi-finals of the Europa League.

As Jurgen Klopp and his men prepare to get into action a few hours from now, we have decided to take a look at the greatest Liverpool comebacks in Europe. With that said, here are some astonishing turnarounds produced by the Reds in recent years.

1. Miracle Of Istanbul

The Miracle of Istanbul. Photo/ Solvia.

We start our list of the greatest Liverpool comebacks in Europe by the Miracle of Istanbul, the name given to the 2005 UEFA Champions League final between AC Milan and Liverpool.

The Premier League side went into the final as heavy underdogs considering the quality of players Milan had in their squad. From Brazilian great Kaka to Clarence Seedorf to Andrea Pirlo to Andriy Shevchenko to Paulo Maldini, this Milan side was one of the best teams in Europe at the time.

Everyone expected Liverpool to have a long night in Istanbul and it wasn’t a surprise when they trailed 3-0 at half time, thanks to goals from Maldini and Hernan Crespo (brace). However, a 54th minute header by Steven Gerrard gave Liverpool hope that they could turn the tie around. Vladimir Smicer then scored a screamer to put the Reds within touching distance before Xabi Alonso converted a penalty rebound after his initial effort was saved to level the scores.

The match went to extra time and had to be decided through penalty shootouts where Liverpool triumphed. The scenes were truly unbelievable and this match is not only considered one of the greatest Liverpool comebacks but also ranks among the greatest turnarounds in football history.

2. Liverpool 4-0 FC Barcelona 

In 2019, the football world witnessed one of the most dramatic turnarounds of the beautiful game as Liverpool knocked FC Barcelona out of the UEFA Champions League.

The Reds suffered a devastating 3-0 defeat at Camp Nou in the first leg of their semi-final tie and many thought that it was over for them. However, a very unlikely comeback was started at Anfield Stadium by Divock Origi who tapped home from close range seven minutes into the match.

Divock Origi scored the goal that completed the comeback against Barcelona. Photo/ Sky Sports.

Substitute Georginio Wijnaldum then scored two goals in the space of 122 seconds after the break to level the aggregate scores before Trent Alexander-Arnold’s quickly taken corner was converted by Origi. Liverpool would go on to win the Champions League title the following month, beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the final.

3. Liverpool 4-3 Borussia Dortmund

Liverpool beating Borussia Dortmund 4-3 at Anfield is easily one of the greatest Liverpool comebacks in history. After a 1-1 draw at Signal Iduna Park in the first-leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie, both teams needed a win in the second leg to proceed to proceed to the next round.

Dortmund started the match on a high note, scoring two quick goals inside the first ten minutes. Origi pulled one goal back for the hosts but it seemed the German side were destined for a win at Anfield as Marco Reus increased their lead to 3-1.

However, Jurgen Klopp’s side didn’t give up and scored three goals in the second half to turn the results around and advance to the semis. Philippe Coutinho scored in the 66th minute and then Mamadou Sakho levelled things at 3-3 shortly afterwards before Dejan Lovren’s bullet header completed the comeback.

Liverpool beat Borussia Dortmund 4-3 at Anfield. Photo/ Eurosport.

4. Liverpool 3-1 Olympiacos 

Playing in the final group game of the 2004-05 Champions League, Liverpool needed to beat Olympiacos by at least two goals to proceed to the knockout stages.

Things got off to a bad start for the Reds as Rivaldo gave Olympiacos a 1-0 lead in the first period. However, hope was not lost and it all started going Liverpool’s way when Florent Sinama Pongolle levelled the scores. Neil Mellor gave them a 2-1 lead with nine minutes left to play and then Steven Gerrard scored a beautiful goal in the 86th minute to ensure Liverpool advanced to the next round of the competition.

Conclusion

Looking at the greatest Liverpool comebacks in Europe, you can’t rule out the possibility of the Reds producing a turnaround against Atalanta. The two clubs clash tonight at 10 pm and Jurgen Klopp and his men will be looking forward to returning to winning ways after losing the last two matches.