A Tuesday night in Europe under the Anfield lights – they couldn’t, could they? The answer will almost certainly be no, but this is football, and stranger things have happened. Barcelona have one foot in the final, but Liverpool will be desperate to grab the initiative early on and reduce the 3-0 deficit in tonight's second leg. It could get worse for Liverpool, or it could be another memorable European tale to tell. Either way, it promises to be a special encounter…
Champions League / Semi-final
Anfield / 07.05.2019
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- D. Origi(7', 79')
- G. Wijnaldum(54', 56')
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Updated 07/05/2019 at 21:56 GMT+1
19.52
A sprinkle of stats for you...
- Barcelona have won both of their previous Champions League visits to Anfield against Liverpool, winning 3-1 in November 2001 and 1-0 in March 2007; Barcelona are the only away side to win more than once at Anfield in the Champions League.
- In all European competition, Liverpool have only lost one of their 18 home semi-finals at Anfield (W14 D3 L1), losing 0-1 to a Billy Bremner goal against Leeds United in the 1970-71 Fairs Cup.
- Liverpool are unbeaten in 19 home matches in all competitions (W16 D3 L0), only enjoying a longer run once under Jürgen Klopp - a run of 25 between January 2016 and January 2017.
- In the first leg, Liverpool became the 32nd different Champions League opponent Barcelona's Lionel Messi has scored against - only former Real Madrid and Schalke striker Raúl has scored against more (33).
19.48
Suarez won’t celebrate, he says…
"People who know about football know the importance of the goal I scored in the Champions League semi-final. I have all the respect in the world for the Liverpool fans. Because I scored it and celebrated it with my fans, I say sorry.
"I am very thankful to Liverpool, to the fans and to the club, and obviously it's clear that if I score a goal against Liverpool [at Anfield] I won't celebrate it. The same way I didn't do in Holland when I scored [for Ajax against Groningen]."
19.45
15 minutes to go!
19.42
What welcome awaits Suarez and Coutinho at Anfield?
19.37
19.32
A beaut of a matchday programme this!
19.27
Barcelona players had a rude awakening last night, could it be the same this evening?
19.23
Why change a winning formula. That is Ernesto Valverde’s outlook anyway. He names the same XI that beat Liverpool 3-0 a week ago, meaning Coutinho and Suarez get to start on their old stomping ground.
19.19
No Salah. No Firmino. A tough task was made tougher when the two Liverpool forwards were ruled out, and it is Shaqiri and Origi who take their place. Brewster and Woodburn join Sturridge on the bench.
TEAMS
Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen, Roberto, Pique, Lenglet, Alba, Rakitic, Busquets, Vidal, Coutinho, Messi, Suarez.
Subs: Cillessen, Semedo, Arthur, Malcom, Umtiti, Vermaelen, Alena.
TEAMS
Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Milner, Henderson, Mane, Shaqiri, Origi.
Subs: Mignolet, Wijnaldum, Lovren, Gomez, Sturridge, Brewster, Woodburn.