Just a little under a year later, Liverpool found themselves in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, leaving the south of Italy with nothing to show other than a burning and bubbling sense of frustration, like the city of Naples’ infamous volcano.
In the grand scheme of things, like last season, a defeat this side of Halloween in the group stages is no disaster for Jurgen Klopp’s men.
There are some considerations that the European champions will have to take into the coming weeks, however.
An astonishing showdown in Austria saw Red Bull Salzburg beat Genk 6-2 – what that brings now is more of an uphill battle for Liverpool, in a game where the Reds were probably hoping for Salzburg and Genk to cancel each other out.
Liverpool needed a good start against Napoli on Tuesday, with the Club World Cup arriving at the end of December.
Matchday 6 in Austria could have been a perfect time to play some of the players on the fringe of the first team, resting key first team players before a trip to Qatar, notwithstanding a gruelling Christmas schedule.
Tuesday night was not the best starting point in that respect.
Like last season, Liverpool dominated for huge spells, with big chances for Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah in both halves, while a misplaced pass from Sadio Mane to Salah could have seen the Reds get a vital victory in their hardest match in the group.
Adrian, looking more and more like he is fitting into Klopp’s style of play, pulled off a miraculous save to keep out Dries Mertens header, and impressed in general.
Like all of Liverpool’s away group games last year, the team were not effective enough in the final third , though, and on another day they would have been comfortable winners.
Had Liverpool got elusive away goals in both trips to Naples in the last 12 months, we could be sitting here saying it is a place of good fortune for the Reds.
There is little doubt that it would have been two victories, and not two defeats, had Liverpool enjoyed their share of luck in front of goal.
Carlo Ancelotti laughed with Klopp at the end of the game, telling him that losing in Naples means Liverpool win the Champions League.
It shows the respect that one of the all-time great managers has for the club, but it also shows that Liverpool have been here before.
Just like last season, the ruins of the Stadio San Paulo have played host to another famous night for Napoli.
A win on Sunday at Chelsea to retain their 100 percent Premier League record will mean Tuesday night is a distant memory for Liverpool, however, and as current European champions, there is no reason why they can’t win their remaining Champions League games.
Three defeats in the group stage last season away from home saw many fans looking at cheap expeditions to Baku for the Europa League final – everybody knows how that story unfolded.
Liverpool are not your typical Champions League holders, with the Reds’ history of last-gasp winners and just getting over the line, so it was never going to be a holders’ group stage form of someone like Barcelona or Real Madrid.
It’s Liverpool.
Naples has yet again been the start of a roller-coaster journey for the Reds, ultimately turning itself into the bogey ground of mainland Europe for them.
The hardest group game is gone and attention now leads to Stamford Bridge this weekend.
Up the Reds.
