Jürgen Klopp had said that it wasn’t likely that Liverpool would score three at the Wanda Metropolitano, but in the end that is exactly what they had to do. With 12 minutes to go on a wild, fun and unexpectedly open night, Mohamed Salah stood on the penalty spot, handed the chance to deliver victory for Liverpool. Two-up inside 13 minutes, it was now 2-2, and nothing was certain any more. Except of course the Egyptian who stepped up and coolly slotted in what would prove the winner.
Not that a Liverpool win seemed certain even then, Atlético Madrid almost immediately having a late penalty of their own removed by the VAR, Luis Suárez left lamenting that he would not get the opportunity Salah had. And, even then it was not yet over. When at last it was, there was exhaustion. There was exhilaration too, plus recrimination and an awful lot to pick over. “When these two teams face each other some drama is guaranteed,” Klopp said afterwards, only the word “some” felt seriously inadequate.
