Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net
Liverpool have a tall order in this year’s Champions League last-16 as they face off against French champions PSG.
The Reds have been in terrific form in Europe this season, topping the first ever league phase having won seven out of eight matches.
But PSG have become a relentless winning machine of late, tasting victory in 10 games in succession, scoring 30 goals in the process.
As Liverpool look to stop the PSG charge and navigate through to the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2022, we take a look back on their six most recent last-16 ties.
Photo by David S.
Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images
Liverpool first experience of the Champions League under Jurgen Klopp was a magical one in 2017/18.
Tasting Europe’s premier club competition for only the second time in seven years, the Reds top-scored in the group stage on their way to meeting Porto in the last-16.
With the first-leg being held at the Dragao, Porto were no match for Klopp’s rampant Liverpool team.
Sadio Mane was the star of the show, scoring a sensational hat-trick, with Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino adding gloss to the scoreline.
MORE LIVERPOOL STORIES
With the away goals rule still in effect, Porto were done and dusted in the tie.
They managed a respectable 0-0 draw in the return at Anfield, but were left to rue a disastrous home performance.
One of the most defining goals of Klopp’s time as Liverpool manager came during the last-16 tie against Bayern Munich in 2019.
Mane’s touch and turn past Manuel Neuer to break the deadlock at the Allianz Arena set Liverpool on their way to a 3-1 victory.
Having seen a frustrating first-leg drawn 0-0 at Anfield, it was the first goal of the tie and although a Joel Matip own goal levelled things up, Virgil van Dijk’s thunderous header soon restored the Reds’ lead.
Mane finished things off with a late header after a sumptuous Salah cross and rubber-stamped one of Klopp’s most memorable wins.
Photo by Lars Baron/Bongarts/Getty Images
From one of the great night’s of Klopp’s reign, to perhaps the very worst.
With Liverpool flying high at the top of the Premier League, they should have done far better in the Champions League in 2019/20.
However, amid the urgent threat of the Coronavirus pandemic, Liverpool went down to an extra-time loss against Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid.
READ MORE: Mamadou Sakho reveals true feelings on Liverpool and who he’ll support when Reds meet PSG in the Champions League
An early Saul Niguez goal had given Atletico the win over in Madrid, and they came to Anfield to defend their goal like their lives depended on it.
Jan Oblak was unbelievable between the sticks but was finally beaten by Gini Wijnaldum, who sent the game to extra-time with a fine header.
Firmino thought he’d put Liverpool through early into extra-time, but a double from Marcos Llorente turned the tide.
A terrible night all around.
With games still being played behind closed doors in 2020/21, Liverpool had the novelty of playing a Champions League knockout home game in Hungary.
The Reds faced RB Leipzig, with both legs being played at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, owing to issues related to COVID.
Despite struggling in the Premier League, Liverpool made light work of Leipzig.
Mane and Salah goals five and four minutes apart in the first and second legs did the damage, as the Reds gave their season a shot in the arm.
Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Another round of 16 game and another tough opponent for Liverpool, who faced Italian champions Inter.
Despite a gritty performance from the Nerazzurri, the Reds more or less had the tie won after the first-leg in Milan.
READ MORE: The five former Liverpool players who also starred for PSG including ‘key’ Rafael Benitez favourite
A glancing Firmino header with 15 minutes left to play felt like a big goal, before Salah furthered Liverpool’s lead eight minutes later.
Inter made things nervy in the return leg, with Lautaro Martinez firing in an excellent second-half goal at Anfield.
But the Reds pushed through and headed all the way to the final.
Liverpool’s second last-16 exit in their previous six entries into the Champions League also came at the hands of a Madrid based side.
This time – just as it had been in the previous year’s final – it was Real who did the damage.
Things had started so well for Liverpool, with a lovely flicked goal from Darwin Nunez and a Salah tap in after a Thibaut Courtouis error giving them a healthy lead at Anfield.