THIS WAS ANOTHER famous European night at Anfield. For Atletico Madrid.

And for Marcos Llorente, in particular.

His two extra-time goals dragged his side from what looked like a certain Champions League exit towards a well-earned place in the last eight of the competition.

Adrian, deputising for first choice goalkeeper Alisson, might not recover from the sort of mistake which has seen the likes of Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius put out to pasture.

The only solace is that Jurgen Klopp’s team have Alisson to return – they just won’t need him to try and retain their European crown after the Spaniard’s unforced error led to Llorente scoring his first goal barely 180 seconds after Roberto Firmino put Liverpool 2-1 ahead on the night.

The understudy scuffed a simple clearance in the direction of Joao Felix, he bided his time to play in Llorente, and the striker did the rest from distance. He curled his effort into the bottom corner in front of the Kop and, just like that, the sound of delirium sweeping around the four stands turned to shock.

Liverpool players at the final whistle. Martin Rickett Martin Rickett

And when Llorente fired in another effort from outside the box before the first half of extra time finished the whole of Anfield was stunned into silence.

A brief, belligerent rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone reverberated around that corner of Merseyside as Klopp attempted to help his players regroup.

It was a sickener. 

Liverpool were by the far the better side over the course of general play, Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak produced a string of important saves, but the home side were also painfully wasteful in the final third.

Sadio Mane’s unfathomable decision to attempt an overhead kick 10 yards out when he had the freedom of the penalty box to take control, was epitomised that profligacy.

That fact, along with the mistakes at the other end, will hurt more than anything else.

This will be one of those nights that when Liverpool players look back on their careers, most of whom will probably have cabinets full of winners’ medals, they will feel pangs of the worst kind of regret.

This was not a night where things didn’t click.

Jurgen Klopp confronts Koke at full-time. Martin Rickett Martin Rickett

This was not a night when they were suffocated by a world class defence.

Liverpool had their chances, they had opportunity after opportunity to be out of sight but they fluffed their lines.

And Liverpool, the holders, the favourites until the full-time whistle blew, were well beaten by the end of what was truly an absorbing night of football. 

The sight of Alvaro Morato sliding towards the travelling supporters after placing a third goal under the legs of Adrian only added insult to injury.

With the spread of Covid-19 escalating to the point that it has been deemed an official pandemic, who knows what is in store for the remainder of the tournament.

Andy Robertson struck the bar in the second half of normal time. Peter Byrne Peter Byrne

When people are dying and countries are in lockdown, everything else seems so inconsequential.

Yet it is occasions like this one that provide the exact kind of distraction that we all need.

Liverpool, inspired by Klopp, have produced some of the greatest moments in their supporters’ lives.

They have enthralled and entertained with the kind of football that has left rivals in their wake.

But for so much of this clash, despite their superiority, they seemed to be infiltrated by an anger at the way in which their opponents set out to frustrate them.

Jordan Henderson snarled his way through the night. Even Virgil van Dijk lost a bit of his lustre. 

But when Firmino prodded home the rebound after his header came back to him off the post, it looked as if that anger was just the energy needed for another famous comeback.

Perhaps another night of high drama had left them drained because once Diego Simeone’s side showed they were capable of forcing their way back into the tie, Liverpool had nothing left to give.