But the Belgian, who had never scored a Champions League goal before, defied expectations and scored twice as Liverpool masterminded a stunning 4-0 win. The score is huge, but if you lose 4-0 there are no excuses.
There were contrasting emotions on the TVNZ FC couch after Liverpool's extraordinary four-goal comeback against Barcelona.
Throughout the match, Liverpool played with pulsating energy and gritty determination, while still being able to carve open a trembling Barcelona defence.
"Once again we showed that everything is possible in football", said Wijnaldum.
Had £90mil to spend, signs Wijnaldum in 2015 and a disaster-class in management guides Newcastle to the championship and we sell Wijnaldum to Liverpool. There are now calls for Liverpool to send him to the final in Madrid.
Klopp had delivered a stirring speech on the eve of the game, telling his players to "fail in a attractive way" if they were to get eliminated.
They took that to heart.
"We knew we could do it and trained very hard for this night". Indeed, Luis Suarez appealed against the goal being allowed.
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Georginio Wijnaldum was introduced from the bench at half-time and the Dutch midfielder scored two quick goals to level the tie on aggregate.
His low shot was parried out by Barca keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen but straight to Origi who slotted home.
Two minutes later, he made another run into the area and met a cross from Xherdan Shaqiri with a firm header into the corner past a flat-footed Ter Stegen.
The Liverpool players responded, taking the game to Barca and then grabbing a seventh-minute lead when a poor headed clearance from Jordi Alba fell at the feet of Jordan Henderson, who burst goalwards.
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Eden Hazard the best belgium player to grace football?
Valverde, whose team gave up a 4-1 first-leg lead against Roma in the quarter-finals last season, refused to make excuses after the extraordinary exit.
The German said few would have believed his team could get the result the needed to reach the final, where they will play Ajax Amsterdam or Tottenham Hotspur.
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