Having lost at this stage last season to Real Madrid, Jurgen Klopp's men looked poised to make amends and go one better against Tottenham Hotspur in the champions league finals.
On the biggest stage of all, Liverpool delivered. Enjoying a superb season which could have even ended in a double if not for Manchester City's resilience after they were just pipped to the premier league trophy by a single point. The Instabul Miracle was the last time Liverpool won the champions league trophy, that's 14 years ago and this time around the European elite club trophy is heading back to Anfield after Jurgen Klopp’s side defeated Tottenham 2-0 at Madrid’s wonderful Wanda Metropolitano stadium.
Mohamed Salah, who only played part of last year's encounter against Real Madrid after suffering an arm injury into the match had another shot at redemption, the one he’d dreamed of for a year. The Egyptian converted from the spot kick in the second-minute after Tottenham Sissoko was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box to disturb Saido Name's cross before Divock Origi, the hero of the semi-final, emerged from the bench to finish the job late on in a game that didn't see the usual full throttle style of play adopted by Jurgen Klopp's team as Tottenham dominanted both half but was denied on multiple occasions by Liverpool goalkeeper Alison Becker.
It was some sight, as the Madrid authorities estimating that around 50,000 Liverpudlians had made the journey.
They’d come from far and wide, from South America, Europe and even Africa to cheer the Reds on and they weren't disappointed on bit. They’d come to party, to see their heroes crowned.
Last year, their hearts were broken despite playing their hearts out by brilliance of Zinedine Zidane's men, Lessons well learnt
this was a crowning night, the night a new set of legends emerged as the Mersey-side applied a rather reserved approach to the game. From Jordan Henderson, the captain who hoisted that famous jug-eared trophy aloft, to Alisson Becker, whose second-half saves got Klopp’s team over the line. From Virgil van Dijk, the £75million bargain, to Trent Alexander-Arnold, the home-grown superstar at 20 years of age. Each and every one of them deserved to be on the winning side thanks to their performance.
Liverpool could have played better than they did, for sure. But their mental strength and concentration would make up for such performance. Perhaps if they got anything from the final in Kiev then it has to be the mental strength even if when they lost.
This is obviously a special team, one which has made its supporters proud at its current achievement and anticipating for the even brighter future.
For Klopp, that first hurdle is cleared. We can stop talking about his ‘need’ for silverware, or his lacklustre record in major finals. The German promised to bring the good times back when he arrived in 2015, and he’s gone and landed the big one making it the sixth time Liverpool will conquer the whole of Europe.
For a manager works his socks off on and off the pitch striking great bond with every players, who brings joy to football, who puts bums on seats and smiles on faces. It's all worth it at the end as the development is now becoming obvious and they're awake from their slumber and now they are believers again like he promised.
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