DBasia.news – FC Barcelona have twice been a ‘victim’ of a comeback in the Champions League. AS Roma did it last season and now it’s Liverpool’s turn to get rid of Barcelona.
Losing a 0-3 aggregate goal from the first leg at the Camp Nou, the Reds turned a dramatic 4-0 win in the second leg through Divock Origi and Georginio Wijnaldum’s two goals. For your information, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool play without Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah in the match.
Barcelona seemed to disappear when Wijnaldum scored the third goal which equalized the aggregate goal to 3-3. Origi’s fourth goal made the mental and moral playing of the team from Catalunya collapse.
Origi’s fourth goal was created with a neat scheme – often trained in training sessions. Trent Alexander-Arnold walked in when he tried to take a corner when the Barcelona defense was off guard, he passed it and was immediately struck by Origi.
Jose Mourinho, former manager of Manchester United, immediately thought Barcelona’s Ernesto Valverde’s direction was playing like children in the match. Despite the fact, Barcelona are reinforced by stars like Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Ivan Rakitic.
“If you see the goal on the Under-14 or U-15 team then you will say ‘Children sleep, children do not have the mentality of playing football, children must learn the basics of the game’. But we all talk about “The best players in the world and conceding that goal really show you that thought,” Mourinho said.
“In the first half, I said if Liverpool scored the second goal then the atmosphere will really be very difficult to overcome and it really came true. But, Barcelona has some of the best players in the world.”
“It has become their natural habitat playing at that level, natural habitat playing Barcelona (against) Real Madrid, Champions League final, Champions League semifinals every season,” continued The Special One to beIN Sports.
Mourinho then tried to see a dramatic moment at Anfield from Valverde’s perspective. Seeing his team’s two successive seasons knocked out through a dramatic comeback, Mourinho believes Valverde has difficulty explaining the situation.
“It was something very difficult, for me, to explain, it was very difficult for me to believe my team won 3-0 in the first leg and we lost 0-4 in the second leg,” added Mourinho.
“I want to see Valverde try to explain it, but I still believe it will be very difficult for him to explain,” continued the winner of two Champions League titles.
Barcelona’s treble ambition has ended because of that defeat. Now, the Blaugrana can only reach double winners (two trophies) if they win the final match against Valencia in the Copa del Rey event (25/5), having previously won the 2018-19 League.