YNWA: Fans' spine-tingling rendition of Liverpool's famous song
Extraordinary scenes reverberated around Anfield as fans celebrated Liverpool’s Champions League miracle with a spine-tingling version of their famous song.
The Gerry and the Pacemakers classic ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ is a staple of Reds home games but seldom has it been belted out as passionately as the rendition that followed the Reds’ remarkable 4-0 semi-final second leg victory over Barcelona in the Champions League.
‘EMBARRASSING’: Liverpool stun Barcelona after unthinkable defensive lapse
Shell-shocked Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde admits they were “rolled over” and “blown away” by Liverpool in an extraordinary Champions League semi-final that saw the Reds progress 4-3 on aggregate.
Only four times in Champions League history has a side overturned a first-leg deficit of three goals or more to progress from a knockout tie.
Barca were on the wrong end of one of those spectacular comebacks at Roma last year and tasted another shock defeat at Anfield on Tuesday.
Divock Origi goals either side of a brace from substitute Georginio Wijnaldum sealed Liverpool a memorable 4-0 win, putting them through to the Madrid final as Barcelona were left reeling.
The atmosphere inside Anfield was enough to raise the hairs on the back of the neck as the booming sound of Liverpool celebrations echoed around the ground.
Social media was inundated with video of the electrifying scenes as fans belted out arguably one of the most emotionally-charged versions of their famous song ever heard.
This is Anfield, this is Liverpool. No words #YNWA pic.twitter.com/eeevCLV9Kh
— Álvaro Velasco (@Alvarovb96) May 7, 2019
Walk on, walk on #ynwa pic.twitter.com/tLgb1V1oPT
— Jay Hutch (@jayhutch_bjj) May 7, 2019
Once upon a time there was a football match…
One for the ages that and a privilege to witness. Come on you mighty reds, let’s make it 6!#LFCBarca #YNWA #LFC #ChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/68zfsyvKaM— Damon Crane (@damoncrane) May 7, 2019
Absolutely incredible.#LFC #LIVBAR #UCL #Liverpool #YNWA pic.twitter.com/4U5nXVQ22Z
— Raphaël (@RaphaelSBriand) May 7, 2019
Two goals each from stand-in forward Divock Origi and half-time substitute Georginio Wijnaldum left Lionel Messi and Barcelona utterly shell-shocked after a Liverpool performance full of passion, belief and determination.
Juergen Klopp’s side will play the winner of Wednesday’s other semi-final between Ajax Amsterdam and Tottenham Hotspur, with the Dutch side leading 1-0 from the first leg in London.
“It was overwhelming. I would say it’s impossible,” said Klopp, amid wild celebrations at the final whistle when his team stood in front of their famous Kop stand to sing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ with fans.
“Playing against the best team in the world. Winning with a clean sheet, I don’t know how the boys did it. It’s unbelievable,” added the German.
“I saw James Milner crying after the game on the pitch. It means so much to all of us. There are more important things in the world but creating this emotional atmosphere together is so special.”
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL HERE WE COME ⭐ #UCL #YNWA pic.twitter.com/aEE6SQXCQV
— Trent Arnold (@trentaa98) May 7, 2019
COME ON!! 🔥 Words can’t describe this feeling! Anfield never stopped believing and neither did we! 🙌🏾 🔴 The road isn’t over yet! MADRID HERE WE COME!!! WE. NEVER. GIVE. UP. 👊🏾 🏆 #UCL #LiverpoolFC #YNWA pic.twitter.com/GOq98HuJJY
— Gini Wijnaldum (@GWijnaldum) May 7, 2019
Another epic chapter for the Reds in Europe
It was a night that will be remembered by Liverpool fans alongside their fifth European Cup win in Istanbul in 2005, when they came back from 3-0 down at half-time to win on penalties.
Klopp was almost lost for words as he tried to express his feelings.
“The whole game. The whole performance was too much,” he said. “It was overwhelming. I watched in my life so many football games but I can’t remember many like this.
“Winning is already difficult but winning with a clean sheet I don’t know how the boys did it.
“I saw James Milner crying after the game on the pitch, it means so much to all of us.
“There are more important things in the world but creating this kind of atmosphere is so special.”
Barca lament latest European collapse
Barcelona’s coach was left to rue another semi-final tie that his club let slip through their fingers.
“It’s happened again,” Valverde said. “It happened last year.
“It’s true that it has been different games, the first leg and second leg.
“They started really well, and they pinned us back. Early goal, we reacted well after that.
“We managed to control things a little bit in the second half of the first half. We had half chances to score.
“I think that we conceded two goals and then they really kind of got on top of us after those two quick concessions.
“We haven’t managed to get on the scoresheet tonight. They scored two in two and they kind of us rolled us over, really.
“They have been really strong, they played really well. We’ve got to congratulate them on the performance they put up in the tie as a whole.
“It is a terrible result for our fans and for ourselves. We didn’t expect a situation like this. This is what has happened to us.
“It is really, really unfortunate but credit is due to Liverpool.”
Valverde says Barca struggled with the Reds’ high press and intensity, while the fourth goal from a quick Trent Alexander-Arnold corner caught them napping.
The head coach apologised to their fans in the post-match press conference and spoke of an understandably downbeat room.
“When you have a battle like tonight, you’re going to go through some really tough few days, like all our fans as well,” Valverde said.
“You’re going to suffer, the fans will suffer as well. That’s what it is like.
“You have to go through this penitence and we’ve not got long to go until the end of the league season.
“We’ve got the cup still to fight for and we’ve got to really finish the season well on a high after this.
“But at the moment we’re blown away, it’s terrible.”
With agencies