UEFA Champions League Semi-Final 2nd Leg Preview – Liverpool vs Barcelona, Tuesday 7th May 2019

Is there any way Liverpool can best Barcelona and reach their 2nd consecutive Champions League final, at 8pm on BT Sport 2?

On paper, Liverpool have had a truly incredible season. And yet, it still might amount to nothing. Despite losing just one game in the Premier League, they need a huge dose of luck if they are to win their first title since 1989/90.

For the Reds to leapfrog the defending champions at the last, then not only do they need to beat 2018/19’s surprise package Wolves – a side that knocked them out of the FA Cup – but Man City have to slip up against Brighton, a club who have just about kept themselves in the top flight.

And it’s looking unlikely that Liverpool can find solace in the Champions League, either. The Reds were rattled by Barcelona last week, with a first half opener from former Anfield hero Luis Suarez, and a brace from Lionel Messi, leaving them with a 3-goal deficit to overcome.

Messi – who’s 2nd goal last Wednesday was his 48th of the season in all competitions and 600th for the Barcelona 1st team – heads to Anfield with a Super Mega PGM of 49-57, comfortably ahead of Suarez’s 33-39.

Liverpool, meanwhile, were dealt another blow during the weekend’s (late) win over Newcastle. Already missing Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah – who is currently on track for his 2nd consecutive Premier League Golden Boot – was forced off the pitch thanks to an aerial collision with Martin Dubravka. That leaves Sadio Mane as the focus of the club’s attack, the Senegalese start at a Super Mega PGM of 39-46.

The odds are, undoubtedly, stacked against Liverpool. However, there are a couple of slithers of hope. Firstly, Barcelona lost their first La Liga game of 2019 at the weekend (admittedly they’d already won the title, so it didn’t mean anything). Secondly, the Reds have previous in overcoming a 3-0 deficit in Europe, even if the team is much (much) changed since then.

Who will actually win on the night is tough to call – Spreadex are even offering a choice Liverpool/Barcelona Goal Supremacy spread of -0.1-0.1, alongside a Total Goals spread of 2.85-3.05. Whether the Reds have it in them to get the right result is anyone’s guess.