Klopp feels the power of Anfield as Liverpool make history
The Kop comes to life as Reds mount dramatic comeback that will rank alongside the 'Miracle of Istanbul'
Liverpool's extraordinary comeback victory over Borussia Dortmund has been hailed as one of the great Anfield nights and a triumph that will be talked about for generations.
It was also the moment that the Kop came back to life. On the eve of the Hillsborough anniversary, the stadium found its voice in thrilling fashion.
Ever since his arrival at Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp has emphasised the importance of the fans, but not even he could have been prepared for the sheer intensity of the support as the Reds pulled off an amazing escape to rank alongside the "Miracle of Istanbul" in 2005, when they battled back from three goals down to lift the Champions League trophy.
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It was all different in November, when the manager appeared to scold fans after thousands walked out early as Crystal Palace won at Anfield, claiming he "felt alone" on the touchline.
"We have to make sure that nobody can leave the stadium a minute before the last whistle, because anything can happen," he said.
Those words rang true on Thursday night, when Dejan Lovren headed home the winner in stoppage time and the Kop erupted. Dortmund had "experienced the sheer power of Anfield", says the Liverpool Echo.
It was clear that something special was brewing right from the start, with crowds lining the streets as the team coach arrived hours before kick-off.
"With the anniversary of the Hillsborough tragedy hours away, emotion was high at Anfield. The atmosphere before the game was immense, intense yet also quite beautiful," writes Martin Samuel in the Daily Mail. The pre-match rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone reduced some in the press box to tears, he writes.
In the end, the victory was not so much about Klopp but Liverpool, "a club who never know when a cause is lost, and certainly not in Europe".
The journalist adds: "When it happened, when the Kop somehow sucked the fourth of the night in with their mighty lungs, the noise was incredible, almost dizzying. It felt surreal, like a vision, or a dream.
"It wasn't a dream. They did it. They really did it."
There was pandemonium after Lovren's goal, writes Henry Winter of The Times. "Flares were lit. Somehow, Liverpool fans raised the volume even higher... It was a reminder why Anfield is so special, and why the power of a loyal support should never be underestimated."
The fightback was the "stuff of legend", says Chris Bascombe of the Daily Telegraph. "There is something extraordinary about this stadium on a night like this. The power of Anfield overwhelming."
Klopp deserves credit, too. His side "rode a wave of emotion in a spectacular second leg that saw them come from behind to prevail in injury-time against one of the best sides in Europe", says Sam Wallace in the Telegraph.
"This felt like the kind of night, the kind of Liverpool victory, that Anfield was built for, and its effect on the new era of Kloppism will be profound."
The manager has spoken of his desire to turn the doubters into believers "and it was the transition from doubt to belief that was at the core of this remarkable Liverpool victory, both on the pitch and in the stands", says Phil McNulty of the BBC.
"If anyone entered Anfield as a doubter they will have been a confirmed and committed believer by the time they left."
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