While there’s still one round of matches left, it appears likely that Liverpool and Barcelona FC will secure the top two spots in the revamped Champions Group stage.
As the only teams guaranteed a place in the last 16, if these European giants do indeed finish first and second, the earliest they could face each other would be in the final in Munich on May 31.
Of course, a lot can happen between now and then, but the next encounter between the Reds and Barca will undoubtedly stir memories of their last clash.
That was almost five years ago, on May 7, 2019 – a date forever imprinted in the minds of Liverpool fans after Jurgen Klopp’s team staged one of football’s most remarkable comebacks, overturning a 3-0 first-leg deficit to win 4-0 and secure their spot in the Madrid final, which they won by defeating Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur 2-0.
Jordi Alba, who played for Barcelona on that unforgettable night at Anfield, has been reminiscing about the match. Alba is currently with Inter Miami, alongside Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets, who were also part of the defeated Barca squad. Notably, Busquets hasn’t tweeted since Liverpool’s extraordinary comeback.
Barcelona star Alba has emotionally reflected on a harrowing experience in the Champions League, confessing to shedding tears during what he describes as a night etched permanently in his memory.
The 35-year-old defender, who tasted victory in the prestigious tournament back in 2015 with Barcelona, revealed the truth behind the emotional images captured in the dressing room to the Offsiders podcast, as reported by Marca.
“It’s because I wasn’t feeling well,” Alba explained. “There was a phase in the first half when I didn’t feel well. I read that I was crying…. It was because I felt bad. The result was unfortunate, my game wasn’t good, but these things happen. I always say that you have to try to give everything, sometimes things don’t work out.”
The experienced left-back then delved into the depths of that night’s distress, stating: “That was a terrifying night, for me it was worse than the 2-8 (when Barcelona lost to Bayern Munich in the 2020 quarter-finals). I had a very bad time because the tie was on track, even there we had many chances, but it turned out like that. For me it was the hardest night.”
Alba recounted his own struggles during the match, including an errant back pass which led to a goal, a mishap he does not shy away from: “I was bad, I’m not going to lie to you, but these are games that you don’t expect, that shock you. Apart from that, the first goal was a back pass that I gave with all the intention in the world but it didn’t work out well.
“These things have happened to me many times and they haven’t ended in a goal and nothing happened. The bad thing is that it happened to me that day. I never like to point the finger at one or two players, it’s everyone’s business, but that night I wasn’t good, I have no qualms about admitting it. It’s a bad night.”
This article originally appeared on Liverpool Echo