ROAD TO KIEV: The Goal Parade Sparks Liverpool's Trip To The Finals
As a surprise package, Liverpool will carry a big mission to stop the dominance of Real Madrid when meeting in the Champions League final this season in Kiev on Sunday (27/5) early morning hrs.
Madrid is more favored to be a champion, but the quality of the Reds are able to penetrate the final also should not be underestimated. The goal parade colored their journey up to the final phase of the tournament.
A total of 46 goals have been created by Jurgen Klopp's troops and the most impressive, 29 of which came through their front-line trio of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.
In addition to the record as the most productive team, Liverpool also have other provisions in the form of big ambitions to break thirst in Europe, which they last achieved in 2005 when a dramatic win over AC Milan in Istanbul.
Liverpool's trip in the Champions League this season is quite long because they start from the qualifying round. This phase they passed without a hitch meant, crushed the German Bundesliga representative, Hoffenheim with a 6-3 aggregate victory.
In the group phase, they had a less convincing performance at the start when forced to draw in a row by Sevilla and Spartak Moscow. The victory they needed to go further came in the match when and with a striking score, crushing the Slovenian club, NK Maribor seven goals without reply.
Only Sevilla which became a stumbling block means that in two meetings, Liverpool were unable to conquer the Spanish contestant. The rest they strolled smoothly with a top Group E without a defeat.
Drove to the round of 16, the draw bring Liverpool to Porto. Initially many doubted their chances, but unexpectedly the giant Portugal can be crushed with a 5-0 aggregate. Five-goal victory without reply they reached at the headquarters of Porto thanks to hat-trick Sadio Mane. These results lighten the burden of Liverpool who appear relaxed and finish the second leg duel without goals.
The surprise continued in the quarter-finals, Liverpool became a scourge for Manchester City. After becoming a team capable of breaking the dominance of City's Premier League victory with a 4-3 victory in January, the red Merseyside camps continued in the European arena with twice beating their domestic rivals.
Starting the first leg at Anfield, Liverpool appear extraordinary and make City almost no move. The result, an impressive 3-0 win thanks to the contribution of Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mane. Gabriel Jesus had brought hope for City to comeback at Etihad Stadium, but a pair of goals Salah and Firmino closed the game with a score of 2-0. Liverpool also dismissed Pep Guardiola's big ambitions with a 5-1 aggregate.
Liverpool's front row continued unstoppable when entering the semi-finals. Entering AS Roma in the first leg, they were almost able to incarnate a fantastic 5-0 win before Edin Dzeko and Diego Perotti thinned out as well as providing hope for the Italian Serie A deputy to turn things around in the second meeting.
Optimism to repeat the incredible comeback story against Barcelona makes Roma appear spartan at the Stadio Olimpico. They forced Liverpool to be anxious for 90 minutes, but their 4-2 win did not mean anything because Liverpool remain 7-6 on aggregate and deserved a ticket to the final.