Liverpool v FC Barcelona: Live matchday blog
Against all odds, Liverpool are into the Champions League final after a 4-0 win over Barcelona at Anfield. Divock Origi put the Reds in front after seven minutes as they attempted to overturn the three-goal first-leg deficit. Then, after the break, substitute Georginio Wijnaldum struck twice in as many minutes before Origi won it with a late header.
We're going to Madrid...
...where we'll face either Tottenham Hotspur or Ajax Amsterdam in the final on June 1.
Full Time
Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona
No words. No words.
Five minutes of time added on to be played.
Substitution
Sturridge is on for Shaqiri for the final moments.
Absolutely vital block from Van Dijk to stop Roberto reaching Semedo's cross.
Shaqiri heads over from Milner's cross.
Substitution
Origi has a knock and can't continue. Gomez is on in his place.
Goal
GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DIVOCK ORIGI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No words. No words.
Yellow Card
Semedo is booked for hauling back Mane.
Substitution
Arthur is on for Vidal for the visitors.
Alisson needs to make another save, this time to thwart Messi at the near post.
Messi slams the free-kick into the Liverpool wall.
A goal for the visitors would leave the Reds needing another two to progress.
It's on an absolute knife edge this tie.
Yellow Card
Matip brings down Messi 25 yards out and getsa yellow.
Substitution
Coutinho goes off for Barcelona and Semedo is on.
Goal
GOAL!!!!!!!!! GINI WIJNALDUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh. My. Days.
Liverpool have levelled the tie at Anfield - and Wijnaldum has his second in as many minutes.
This time he rises highest to plant a header from Shaqiri's cross beyond Ter Stegen to make it 3-0 on the night and 3-3 on aggregate.
This is incredible. Absolutely incredible.
Goal
GOAL! GINI WIJNALDUM!
It's 2-0 at Anfield - and Wijnaldum has it as he slams Alexander-Arnold's low ball beyond Ter Stegen from 15 yards out.
Come on!!!!
Yellow Card
Rakitic goes into the book for a deliberate hand ball.
Chance
And at the other end, a strong right hand from Alisson is require to keep out a Suarez strike after a Barcelona counter.
Chance!
Van Dijk turns Milner's corner goalwards from close range, but Ter Stegen keeps it out with a flying save/
Mane almost gets clean through from Wijnaldum's hoist forward, but Roberto recovers to prod it behind.
Kick-Off
Back under way
Come on you Reds!
Substitution
A half-time change for Liverpool - Wijnaldum replaces Robertson, with Milner moving to left-back.
Here's the story of the first half, as told by Opta stats...
Half Time
Liverpool 1-0 Barcelona
The Reds got the start they needed as Divock Origi swept them in front after seven minutes.
It's been a breathtaking first half of football at Anfield, with the hosts dominating, but Liverpool still require two more goals to drew level in the tie.
Magnificent save from Alisson thwarts Roberto after a speedy Barcelona counter-attack from a Liverpool corner.
Messi skims one just wide of the base of the post after Liverpool give the ball away in a dangerous area.
Yellow Card
Busquets is booked following an aerial challenge on Fabinho.
Four minutes to be added on at the end of the first half.
Robertson's drive is deflected behind by Vidal.
A touch from Lengiet just prevents Shaqiri's pass from finding Mane inside the box.
Robertson is back on and OK to continue.
Now Robertson is down and in need of attention from the medical team.
The skipper is back to his feet. Liverpool had been readying Gini Wijnaldum to replace him.
The first time to draw breath in this frenetic contest as Henderson is down and in need of treatement.
Now Robertson brings a flying stop out of Ter Stegen with a whack from the corner of the box
Henderson stabs one goalwards from Robertson's low ball across the box, but it's headed away by Pique.
Messi snaps a half-volley wide of the near post from a clearance from a corner.
Now Alisson denies Coutinho's low curler as Barcelona begin to threaten.
Vital challenge from Matip on Messi inside the area as Barcelona get in behind.
Alisson is forced to tip an effort from Messi over the bar from Coutinho's cut-back following a Barcelona counter.
Yellow Card
Fabinho is booked for a powerful challenge on Suarez in the centre of the park.
Mane goes down in the box under Sergi Roberto's clumsy challenge, but the referee isn't interested.
Goal
GOAL! DIVOCK ORIGI!
That's the start we needed!
Liverpool's press wins the ball back high up the pitch and Henderson surges into the area.
His shot is saved by Ter Stegen but Origi is on hand to sweep in the rebound from close range.
Anfield erupts.
Another Liverpool corner. Good, positive start from the hosts.
Liverpool straight on the attack and they win a corner from Shaqiri's deflected cross.
Anfield is bouncing.
Kick-Off
And we're off
Barcelona start the game at Anfield.
This could be quite a night.
Come on you Reds.
Here come the teams...
Stat
By quirk of fate, Xherdan Shaqiri makes his 30th appearance (15th start) for Liverpool tonight - and it's also his 30th career appearance (and 15th start) in the Champions League.
Here to support...
Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino are unfortunately ruled out of tonight's game - but they're here to give the team their backing.
Snapped
Inside the home dressing room - including a first glimpse of Alisson Becker's one-off goalkeeper kit for tonight...
In formation
Here's how Opta predict the sides will shape up tactically...
A classy touch from Barcelona, with their president Josep Maria Bartomeu laying a wreath at the Hillsborough memorial on behalf of our visitors...
TEAM NEWS
Four changes for Liverpool against Barcelona tonight, with Xherdan Shaqiri and Divock Origi coming in to join Sadio Mane in attack.
Elsewhere, James Milner and Joel Matip return, while Rhian Brewster and Ben Woodburn are on the bench, but Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is ruled out as a precaution due to a slight muscle strain.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Milner, Henderson, Mane, Shaqiri, Origi.
Subs: Mignolet, Wijnaldum, Lovren, Gomez, Sturridge, Brewster, Woodburn.
Inspiration...
Liverpool need goals this evening and they need only look back a year to the Champions League semi-finals of 2017-18 for proof it can be done.
The Reds racked up five against AS Roma in the first leg of their last-four tie 12 months ago - relive the atmosphere of that night again below...
Anfield is ready...
Key battles
There's quality all over the pitch tonight but, having looked at three specific duels ahead of the tie at Camp Nou last week, we've taken a look at three more battles that could be influential in the return game.
Mane v Pique, Fabinho v Rakitic, Van Dijk v Suarez - click here to read more.
All set at Anfield
Ready to go.
Weather
*Weather update klaxon*
Another matchday, another crucial weather update from your faithful Liverpoolfc.com correspondents.
It's a cool evening at Anfield, a slight wind evident around the ground, with several dark clouds above hinting at rain to come in the next few hours.
Our experts tell us it's currently 13 degrees and that will drop slightly by kick-off. We recommend a coat if you're heading to the stadium later.
Training photos
The Reds prepared for the second leg by conducting a training session at Melwood on Monday afternoon.
Check out 33 images from the workout in the gallery below.
What are the odds?
BetVictor is offering the following match prices...
Liverpool - 31/20
Draw - 14/5
Barcelona - 17/10
Click here for more details.
Goalkeeper shirt news
Liverpool will use a one-off goalkeeper shirt for tonight's affair.
Alisson Becker is set to sport an alloy-coloured jersey, produced by New Balance, due to the regular ‘keeper strips clashing with the kits of Barcelona and the match officials.
Barca fans in town
The travelling supporters are enjoying themselves in the city before heading down to Anfield later...
Stat attack
Some handy facts and figures to know before kick-off...
- Liverpool have never lost both legs of a European Cup semi-final
- The club have hosted 18 European semi-finals in the past, winning 14, drawing three and losing just one
- The Reds have won three of their four European semi-finals against Spanish opposition
- Jürgen Klopp's side have led at half-time in 25 games this season and gone on to win every one of them
- The referee for this game is Turkey's Cuneyt Cakir. He has taken charge of Liverpool twice before - the 4-3 win over Borussia Dortmund in 2016 and this season's 3-2 victory against Paris Saint-Germain
A work of art
The front cover of this evening's matchday programme takes its inspiration from the colourful tile-shard mosaics found in and around the city of Barcelona.
You can order a copy of it now by clicking here.
Barca perspective
Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde has urged his players to forget about the first-leg advantage they hold.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Monday evening, the Spaniard said: "If we think about last week's result it would be an error.
"We have to play it as if it was a final. It's going to be difficult because we know their fans will get behind them.
"They have fast players. Sometimes you are put in situations that are uncomfortable.
"We want to have the feeling that we're in control. They're going to attack us, there's no doubt about that. But we have to focus on ourselves."
Missing Men
Our latest edition of Missing Men takes up back to 2001 when Liverpool hosted Barcelona in the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup.
Gary McAllister scored the only goal of tie from the penalty spot, but can you remember the Reds' starting XI from that night?
Click the graphic for the answers...
Alexander-Arnold dreaming
We caught up with the Liverpool right-back ahead of a season-defining week for the club.
The Reds are looking to defy the odds in the Champions League tonight before hoping to be crowned Premier League champions on Sunday.
Speaking to Liverpoolfc.com, Alexander-Arnold said: “I think it’s probably going to be the biggest week for all of us, but it’s these types of occasions that you want to be part of, especially with this club.
“It’s somewhere that the club should be most seasons, so it’s good that the club is back there where it belongs. We just want to be as successful as possible as a team.
“We know it’s probably out of our hands in terms of the league, but in the Champions League we’ve still got that small, little glimmer of hope and we’re going to fight until the very end for that.”
Read the full interview by clicking here.
Team news
Who do we think will start this evening?
The manager delivered the news yesterday that Mohamed Salah (concussion) and Roberto Firmino (muscular) would be forced to miss the clash due to injury.
Therefore, Rhian Brewster is set to be named in a first-team matchday squad for just the second time in his career.
Barcelona, meanwhile, are without Ousmane Dembele, who picked up a hamstring issue in Saturday's trip to Celta Vigo.
Ernesto Valverde made 11 changes for that 2-0 defeat in Vigo, with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez among those rested.
Media briefing
Jürgen Klopp and Trent Alexander-Arnold preview tonight's game by conducting a press conference in front of the world's media at Anfield on Monday afternoon. Watch everything the duo had to say below...
The first leg
So Liverpool need to overcome a 3-0 deficit tonight after last week's result at Camp Nou.
Despite the scoreline, Jürgen Klopp declared his pride at the Reds' display at the home of the Spanish champions. Watch the highlights of the affair below...
Welcome
Good morning.
Anfield once again hosts a Champions League semi-final as Barcelona are on Merseyside for the second leg of the last-four tie.
Stay with us throughout the day for build-up, live game updates and post-match reaction.
