Jürgen Klopp’s men did what they had to do by scoring first in a tense semi-final second leg at Roma, where they lost on the night but squeezed into the Champions League final
It was, of course, never in doubt. Or perhaps only a little in doubt in those moments when Roma pressed and suddenly Liverpool’s defence began to look alarmingly zany, pockets of space opening up as though subject to a sudden buckling of the earth’s crust.
Certainly the Champions League has never known anything like this. A 4-2 victory for Roma brought to an end a double-header that has seen 20 goals scored in two semi-finals, capped by a pair of hysterically open second legs. Defending is over. Clean sheets are over. Pour it on, let it burn. Elite club football has never looked quite so drunk on space, intoxicated by the urge to play only in forward gear.
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