After a decade without one to look forward to, Liverpool are gearing up for a second consecutive Anfield Champions League semi final tonight.
The Reds face a near-impossible ask of overturning a 3-0 deficit to defeat the mighty Barcelona and make it to Madrid for the final on June 1.
Barcelona have won the trophy four times since Liverpool’s last triumph in Istanbul 14 years ago, and they have fought with bitter rivals Real Madrid to be Europe's heavyweight club over the past 20 years.
That Liverpool are back competing with them speaks volumes about the job Jurgen Klopp has done in putting the Reds back on the map in Europe.
After all, the Reds had qualified for the Champions League just once in the six years that preceded Klopp's arrival at Anfield.
And while, from a financial point of view, Tuesday night's game is hardly the David vs Goliath of say, Tottenham Hotspur and Ajax – the London side’s revenues and wage bill are both more than three times higher than that of Ajax – there’s a chasm between Liverpool and Barcelona in terms of economic might.
Barcelona’s total revenues are around £150million higher than Liverpool’s – and this is after the Premier League side's grew by more than a quarter last season on the back of reaching the Champions League final.
On the back of augmenting the squad with new talent and handing out new contracts to key players, Barcelona spent 70% of their revenues on wages alone last season – which is the exact limit UEFA recommends clubs do not exceed in order to break even.
Man City boss Pep Guardiola pays tribute to Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool with huge Barcelona compliment
The season before it had been 52%, showcasing the remarkable investment available to the club, as well as Barcelona’s ability to recruit the world’s best talent.
Liverpool meanwhile, spent a much more modest 58% of revenues on wages last season – only one percentage point higher than the season before, which is evidence of the club’s remarkable planning allowing them to stay on budget.
As a result of their mammoth overheads last season, Barca were more than £150million in the red from operations before player sales, which was in fact an improvement on the season before.
The figures underline the progress Liverpool have made in catching their European rivals on the pitch - as well as the strides the club continue to make off it.
And even if the Reds can't pull off a miracle and make it to Madrid, fans can expect to be seeing their side compete with Europe's biggest clubs for years to come.
