Liverpool fans may have missed a clear omen on Wednesday which suggests they're set to win the CL - opinion
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Liverpool are one of the favourites to win this year’s Champions League, seven years on from their last success in the competition.
The Reds rather defied the odds in 2019, defeating Bayern Munich and, dramatically, Barcelona along the way to their sixth European Cup.
This time, it would not be a surprise if Liverpool were to go all the way, with Arne Slot assembling a team to match any across the continent.
One positive omen for Liverpool could be that the 2026 final will be held in Budapest.
The Reds count Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai among their squad, with Milos Kerkez another prominent Hungarian player.
But after Liverpool’s last-gasp win over Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, another spooky sign emerged that this could once again be the Reds’ year.
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
Liverpool were right in the middle of their transformation from also-rans to champions under Jurgen Klopp when the 2018/19 season began.
The Reds had unexpectedly made it to the Champions League final the season before, but a fourth-place finish in the Premier League suggested they were not quite ready yet.
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That changed over the course of 2018/19, and in Europe it began with a beating of PSG at Anfield in September 2018.
Just as they did on Wednesday against Atletico, Liverpool raced into a two-goal lead six years ago.
An Daniel Sturridge header was followed by James Milner’s penalty after 36 minutes.
But, just like against Diego Simeone’s side on Wednesday, Liverpool threw away their advantage.
Thomas Meunier pulled one back just before half-time, as Marcos Llorente did this week, and Kylian Mbappe then levelled the score inside the final ten minutes, again mirroring Llorente.
Liverpool were not to be denied, though, and while Virgil van Dijk headed home to win the match in the 92nd minute this time, the centre-back delivered the assist for Roberto Firmino who brilliantly broke PSG hearts one minute earlier in 2018.
One of the differences between Liverpool’s memorable win over PSG and Wednesday’s triumph against Atletico is that the group stage now looks completely different.
Liverpool had a really tough batch in 2018/19, with games against Napoli and Red Star Belgrade also on the calendar.
And the Reds made difficult going of their route to the last-16, with a 1-0 loss away in Naples coming on the back of their PSG heroics.
Klopp’s team also lost in Belgrade and Paris, relying on their home form to see them through.
Perhaps it is already lining up for Liverpool.