Mark Lawrenson has suggested that the impact of Anfield played a crucial part in Liverpool’s Champions League semi-final second leg turnaround against Barcelona.
Liverpool won 4-0 at Anfield on Tuesday, overturning the 3-0 defeat they suffered in Spain in the first leg, to secure their place in the Champions League final for the second successive season.
BBC pundit Lawrenson has suggested that Liverpool’s historic home was key to them being able to produce the stunning comeback against Barcelona, on another unforgettable European night at Anfield.
“They really are like nothing else I have experienced in more than 40 years as a player and pundit, and what happened when I watched Liverpool beat Barcelona there on Tuesday night proved it again,” Lawrenson told BBC Sport.
“I have seen it so many times now down the years, and with different sets of Reds players, which ultimately tells you that there is something about the place.
“I don’t think you can understand exactly what I mean by that unless you have been there and been a part of it, but there is no other ground like Anfield on nights like this and it has a huge effect on Liverpool, and the opposition too.”
OPINION
Lawrenson is correct to highlight the impact that Anfield can have on big games for Liverpool, with Reds supporters generating an excellent atmosphere that is rarely seen in other stadiums on big European nights. In Tuesday’s win against Barcelona the crowd inside the stadium helped to give the Liverpool players on the pitch belief that they could turn around the tie against all the odds. Jurgen Klopp’s side had to pull off a remarkable turnaround without the influence of both Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah, and even had to take off Andrew Robertson at half time due to an injury. However, despite all of this Anfield provided a huge lift to the players, and the atmosphere was instrumental in the period in the game where Georginio Wijnaldum’s two goals in two-minutes at the start of the second half levelled the tie. Lawrenson is right there is just something special about Anfield on nights like Tuesday’s win, as Liverpool pulled off another sensational European victory.
