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“Create a moment to tell your grandchildren, and make it a special night for fans.”
That was the message that awaited the Liverpool players when they entered Anfield’s locker room, 2-1 to Jurgen Klopp’s former club, Borussia Dortmund, on this day in 2016.
A direct message indeed, but that is great in its simplicity.
Delivered by Klopp, after just a few months in his Anfield reign, it took on more meaning and did the trick.
Liverpool even managed to go further back, when Marco Reus added Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s first-half goals to seemingly put the tie out of the Reds’ reach.
Not so.
Liverpool had scored in the first half from Divock Origi and Philippe Coutinho would score another goal in the 66th minute.
Mamadou Sakho equalized 12 minutes before teammate Dejan Lovren rose above Dortmund’s defense to send Liverpool to the Europa League semi-finals.
It was an Anfield night for all ages, and coupled with an equally smooth 5-4 victory at Norwich, it was an early sign of how Klopp was able to harness his players’ emotions to inspire a never-say-die attitude. remained until today.
It was Origi, so often a man with one hand on the big nights under Klopp, who raised the lid on comments from his manager’s locker room.
“[We were] 3-1 at the break and the coach said we had to create a moment where we could tell our grandchildren or children and make a special night even for the fans, “said Origi.
“When we scored the first goal, we all thought it was going to be a special moment and in the end we could see the defenders scoring, the forwards scoring, everyone fighting for the ball and I think we deserved the victory”
Simple but very effective.
Dortmund was an exciting night for Liverpool fans. In writing his match verdict, then-ECHO Liverpool correspondent James Pearce summed up the impact Klopp had had at Anfield.
“Anfield’s folklore has a glorious new story and promises to be told through the ages. Liverpool triumphantly marched to the Europa League semi-finals after the most exciting win over Borussia Dortmund.”
“Even for a club famous for its dramatic European comebacks through thick and thin, this was truly miraculous. After 3-1 at night and 4-2 in conjunction with 24 minutes remaining, Jurgen Klopp’s men seemed doomed to a punishing defeat at the hands of his old club.
But inspired by the deafening roar of the Kop, they produced a devastating response that left the high-flying Bundesliga team shocked.
“The name of Dortmund, undefeated in its previous 18 games, will sit forever alongside players like Inter Milan, St Etienne, Olympiakos and Chelsea in the club’s pantheon of unforgettable European nights.”
“How appropriate that Lovren, transformed into a center of such stature under Klopp, provided the revealing contribution. On the greatest night of Klopp’s reign, the Reds showed how far they have come.
“There may be weaknesses, but in six short months, the German has shaped a team in his own image. He has instilled resilience and a spirit that never dies, which now threatens to lead Liverpool to its first European trophy since 2005” .
We all know how the Europa League ended that year. Those aforementioned weaknesses were fully exposed in Basel when Seville came from behind to secure the trophy.
But, consider this. Without Dortmund there would be no Rome, or Man City, or Barcelona, or the sixth European Cup.
Dortmund’s game showed Klopp and Liverpool what they had both suspected: both were a match made in heaven.
Klopp took advantage of Anfield’s excitement to wake up a sleeping giant. Those European nights, absent since the end of Rafael Benítez’s reign, returned.
In fact, Anfield has played his part in all of Liverpool’s biggest wins in recent years.
And so a simple message from Klopp at halftime against Dortmund inspired one of his best European nights, and Kopites is still reaping the rewards.
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