On this day (April 19) in 2001, Liverpool edged past Barcelona in the UEFA Cup semi-finals at Anfield 1-0, thanks to a penalty from Scottish midfielder Gary McAllister.
On the day the game as we know it heads into turmoil following the proposed European Super League taking steps towards its inception, two decades ago the Reds were conquering Europe’s elite on the biggest stage yet again.
Gerard Houllier’s side overcame what was a Barcelona side brimming with star quality, such as Rivaldo, Marc Overmars, Carles Puyol and current Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
In what was a cagey affair, Liverpool were awarded a penalty on the stroke of half time when Patrick Kluivert handled following a McAllister corner.
The popular Scotsman stepped up and converted the resulting spot-kick and with it sent the Reds to Dortmund for the final after a goalless first-leg, where they would take on lesser-known Spanish side Alaves.
What followed was a tumultuous showpiece when a 4-4 draw in 90 minutes took the game into extra time before Delfi Geli scored an own goal to hand Houllier’s men the trophy.
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Given the uncertainty surrounding the current circumstances, let’s all hope nights like this aren’t a thing of the past, nor are they a thing of every fortnight.
