Arne Slot still needs to fix one glaring Klopp-era problem

Has Fortress Anfield fallen?

It almost became a cliche. Those famous European nights under the lights at Anfield. But in recent seasons instead of shining on the biggest stage, Liverpool have more often than not FROZEN.

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Liverpool’s recent European knockout record at Anfield is frankly appalling. There’s no other way of putting it.

Where once teams were beaten at this ground before they’d even shown up, now opposition sides are turning up not only in the hope of getting a result but in an expectant mood.

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Paris Saint-Germain were the latest team to take advantage, winning their Champions League last-16 second leg tie in L4 having been defeated on their own turf six days previously.

Previous to Wednesday, Liverpool progressed on 39 consecutive occasions when they had won the first leg of a European tie away from home.

Another proud record falls.

Illogical as it seems but there hasn’t been a famous European night at Anfield - in the knockouts at least - since Barcelona were turned over in the Champions League semi-final second leg in 2019.

That was the archetypal Anfield performance; 3-0 was simply not sufficient a lead for Barca to hold onto and Liverpool through Gini Wijnaldum and Divock Origi went to town on them.

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From that point on however and it’s pretty grim reading - both for Arne Slot and predecessor Jurgen Klopp.

Since the 2019/20 season, Liverpool have played a total of seven Champions League knockout matches at Anfield. They have won only one of them, drawing another two and losing four.

2020 - the slide begins

In March 2020, five years to the day before PSG came here and won, Atletico Madrid completed a two-legged victory over the English side.

Diego Simeone’s men eliminated the Reds at the first knockout hurdle - the round of 16 - courtesy of a 3-2 extra-time win at Anfield.

The following season, Liverpool did indeed make it through the round of 16 - easing past RB Leipzig over two legs in front of zero fans in Hungary due to Covid-19 travel restrictions. They won each leg 2-0.

But in the next round, Liverpool were unable to mount a comeback against Real Madrid, who had earlier beaten Klopp’s side 3-1 in the Spanish capital.

The two teams played out a drab 0-0 draw at Anfield and Liverpool again limped out of Europe before their time.

Liverpool made a run to the final in 2022, losing out yet again to Madrid in a controversial final in Paris. To get there, however, they benefitted from a pretty generous draw.

Villarreal the last victory

Despite a lack of significant hurdles in their way, however, they were largely unable to impress in front of their own fans. Having defeated Inter 2-0 in the first leg of the last 16, they went on to lose a nervy second leg 1-0 at Anfield with the Italians reduced to 10 men.

In the quarter-finals, they largely completed the job in the first leg - winning 3-1 away to Benfica - but had to settle for a 3-3 draw at Anfield with Darwin Nunez impressing for the visitors.

Then came Villarreal, who were completely overmatched over two legs, losing 5-2 on aggregate. That tie featured a timely 2-0 win at Anfield in the semi-final, first leg, before going on to complete a 3-2 victory in Spain.

And that was the last time Liverpool won a Champions League knockout tie in front of their own fans.

Liverpool's alarming knockout form

In 2022/23 they were battered 5-2 in the home leg of the last-16 against Real Madrid - having been 2-0 up in 13 minutes - and the Spaniards went on to complete a 1-0 victory in the second leg too.

Things got even worse in the Europa League the following year when Liverpool were gearing up to wave goodbye to Klopp with a European trophy.

Although Sparta Prague were despatched (6-1 at Anfield, 5-1 away), Liverpool were absolutely trounced by Atalanta in the first leg of the quarter-finals on their own home ground to snatch the dream away.

The Italian side won 3-0, eventually falling 1-0 to the Reds in the return leg.

And then came the PSG horror show. Liverpool lost over 90 minutes - not for the first time - and eventually succumbed on penalty kicks.

These are alarming statistics for any fans to read, especially generations who have been reared on magical Anfield European nights. Slot has got to arrest the slide, put it right, before Fortress Anfield falls any further.

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