Liverpool is a big threat to Real Madrid’s Champions League throne

What makes Liverpool different

What a journey this has been for Liverpool under Klopp, especially this year. At the start of the season, no one thought they had a shot. When Coutinho was sold to Barcelona in the winter transfer window, that thought was further cemented. But this team has made heads turn, and deservedly so.

New found ability to soak up the pressure and survive

While they were dominant in the group stages, they first announced themselves after their decimation of Manchester City in the quarter-finals, beating them in both legs. Whoever thought Liverpool can only attack and don’t know how to soak up the pressure were proven wrong. In the first half of the second leg, City threw the kitchen sink at Liverpool, but Liverpool survived the onslaught. They attacked them on the counter and comfortably sailed home in the second half.

Then came Roma, and 70 minutes of the first leg was a Liverpool show. Everything stood out about them: that angled Salah goal in the corner, the movement & understanding of the forward players, the might of Anfield and the vision of Klopp. But Liverpool was nowhere near as dominant in the remaining 110 minutes of the tie. One more goal in the second-leg would have forced the game into extra-time, and this after they were once 5-0 up in the tie. But they survived, like Madrid did against Juventus, and are out to spoil Madrid’s party this Saturday.