In need of another famous Champions League fightback, Liverpool cannot rely on a wave of passion, colour and noise from the stands at Anfield to inspire a comeback from 3-1 down against Real Madrid on Wednesday.
It will instead need its manager Jurgen Klopp to conjure the motivation and tactical masterplan to once again eliminate one of Spanish football’s giants.
Liverpool’s deficit is not as steep as when Barcelona visited two years ago in the semifinals in what turned out to be arguably the greatest of all the memorable European nights at Anfield.
Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund is waiting on the fitness of Marco Reus and Mats Hummels for the home leg against Manchester City with England winger Jadon Sancho definitely ruled out.
Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, expects to be labelled a “failure” if City doesn’t reach the semifinals for the fifth straight year since he joined the English club.
The Spanish coach hasn’t won the competition — or even reached the final — since capturing the second of his titles with Barcelona in 2011.
