4 things to look out for: Liverpool vs FC Barcelona

What an extraordinary game it was at Camp Nou last week.

It proved that, as long as Lionel Messi is playing, the extraordinary is always possible. The Argentine scored his 600th goal for Barcelona in the 3-0 defeat of Liverpool, a game in which the Reds seemed to hold their own. Faced with a three-goal deficit, though, the odds are stacked against them at Anfield.

No Salah and No Firmino

Liverpool has hit an injury crisis at the wrong time, as Roberto Firmino and now Mohammed Salah, have both been ruled out of this game. Already facing an incredibly difficult task, the absence of two of the world’s best strikers makes it even more difficult.

Games like these are for world-class players.
Get well soon!

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) May 6, 2019

Luis Suarez returns to Anfield

Barcelona’s forward, Luis Suarez, is returning to Anfield for the first time since he left Liverpool back in 2014.

An icon of the club following his amazing form shown at the Premier League side, he would have been guaranteed a good reception from his old fans had he not wound them up in the first leg. Few can blame him for celebrating the goal scored against his former club, but Liverpool fans saw the ‘other side’ to Suarez for the time last week.

Liverpool know a thing or two about European comebacks

Olympiakos in 2004. Istanbul in 2005. Dortmund in 2015. Liverpool have pulled off some comebacks against the odds, especially in Europe and especially at their famous home of Anfield.

That said, should they wake up on Wednesday morning in the Champions League final, it might just be their greatest comeback ever.

🔴🔴 ALLEZ, ALLEZ, ALLEZ 🔴🔴

Big challenge ahead tonight. We never stop. We never quit 👊#ThisMeansMore pic.twitter.com/rcP91pFngg

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 7, 2019

‘If we fail, we will fail beautifully’

With injuries to handle and a three-goal deficit to turnaround, plus the chance that one of Messi, Suarez and company could score an away goal, Liverpool are certainly huge outsiders.

In his press conference, though, Jürgen Klopp has remained typically upbeat, saying that he wants to simply celebrate Liverpool’s latest run in the Champions League. “If we can do it, wonderful,’ he told journalists in Liverpool. ‘And if not then fail in the most beautiful way, if you want, with a close result.”