Liverpool return to the Champions League tonight after five long years away. Steven Gerrard and co will host Ludogorets and Razgrad at Anfield in the first game of the group stages.
This evening marks the end of five long years without Liverpool in the Champions League, with Brendan Rodgers’ side hosting Ludogorets Razgrad at Anfield.
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The Merseyside club are the most successful English team in European history after clinching their fifth title back in 2005, so it seemed strange to see them absent for so long.
Steven Gerrard spoke about how much he missed the competition, and of his jealousy of Manchester United and Chelsea’s recent runs in Europe.
Looking back as far as the conception of the tournament in 1992, we’ve picked out five of Liverpool’s top Champions League moments.
5) Luis Garcia’s ‘Ghost Goal’
In Liveprool’s cup winning 2005 season, there were naturally a number of memorable moments. But one that stands out more than most is the ‘Ghost Goal’ that Luis Garcia scored at Anfield against Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea.
William Gallas appeared to clear Garcia’s shot off the line, but referee Michel Lobos gave the goal and Liverpool booked their place in that oh so memorable final with a 1-0 win.
4) The infamous ‘golfing incident’
Back in 2007 Liverpool edged past Barcelona on the way to the final, narrowly beating the Catalan club on away goals 2-2 on aggregate.
In the build up to the first leg there was controversy surrounding John Arne Riise and Craig Bellamy, the Welshman allegedly threatening the Norwegian left back with a golf club in a dispute during a team bonding trip.
In true fairytale fashion, both players went on to score at the Nou Camp, with Bellamy providing Riise with the assist that saw them run out 1-2 winners on the night.
Steven Gerrard scored twice as Liverpool famously beat Real Madrid 4-0 at Anfield. (10th March, 2009) pic.twitter.com/K23ePzAsTO
— Football Memories (@Footy__Memories) August 28, 2014
3) Liverpool 4-0 Real Madrid
A moment not just of Liverpool history, but of Champions League history as well. The club’s dominant display in a 4-0 win over the current champions saw a brace for Steven Gerrard and a goal each for Fernando Torres and Andrea Dossena.
.@estoesanfield Recuerdo aquel gol de Gerrard ante el Olympiakos que nos hizo saltar del sillón #ChampionsIsRED pic.twitter.com/6TnFNregDm
— George Olmos (@George_Olmos) September 15, 2014
2) Gerrard Wonderstrike v Olympiakos
You don’t see many sweeter strikes than this one, Gerrard hauling Liverpool over the line against Olympiakos with an unbelievable long distance shot. The English side needed to win by two clear goals and with ten minutes to go it was looking unlikely. But Neil Mellor gave them the lead, before Gerrard’s strike sealed the win.
1) Istanbul in 2005
If you ask most football fans what happened in Istanbul in 2005, they would tell you it was one of the most memorable nights in European history. Liverpool were 3-0 at half time against a dominant AC Milan, and all looked lost for Rafa Benitez’s side.
But the Reds came out firing, and three second half goals saw the game taken to penalties. Jerzy Dudek made the all important save to keep Andriy Schevchenko’s penalty out, and the rest is history, Liverpool lifting their fifth European trophy that night in Turkey.