Liverpool face FC Porto at Anfield in the Champions League quarter-final, first leg on Tuesday night; here are the best stats and facts ahead of kick-off.
Back in the big time
Last season’s first leg against Porto, in the round of 16, was Liverpool’s first involvement in the knockout stages of the Champions League since losing to Chelsea in 2009.
When winning in Portugal a year ago the Reds registered the joint-biggest away win in the Champions League knockout stages, equalling Bayern Munich’s win at Sporting Lisbon in 2009 and Real Madrid‘s victory at Schalke five years later.
They also became the first English club to achieve the feat in an away Champions League knockout game.
Portuguese opposition
Liverpool’s last two games at home to Portuguese opposition have ended in a goalless draw: last season against tonight’s opponents and Sporting Braga in the Europa League in 2010-11.
Liverpool have won seven of 11 home clashes with Portuguese opponents, with only Benfica emerging with a victory (2-0) in 2006 when the Reds were defending the trophy.
Each of the three previous ties with Porto have seen Liverpool record a win and a draw in the two clashes. In those six encounters, the Reds have scored 12 times and conceded on two occasions.
Recent events
Jurgen Klopp has won 16 of 20 two-legged ties in European competition in his managerial career. He has never lost a two-legged tie as Liverpool manager in Europe, winning all nine.
Liverpool have lost one of the last 25 European games at Anfield and are unbeaten in the last 20 at home, winning 14 and drawing six. They have failed to score in only two of those 20 (to Porto and Bayern Munich).
The Reds’ last home defeat in Europe came at the hands of Real Madrid (3-0) in October 2014. In the Spaniards’ lineup that evening was current Porto defender Pepe (suspended for the first leg).
This is the third successive season that Mo Salah has faced Porto, having played against them for Roma in 2016-17.
Liverpool have lost just two of their last 51 games at Anfield in league and cup.
The Reds are unbeaten home and away in 14 matches in all competitions since their FA Cup defeat at Wolves in January.
Goal hunt
Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino have each scored 14 goals for the Reds in Europe and only six players have ever scored more for the club. Sadio Mane is just one goal behind them.
Only one Liverpool player has scored more European Cup goals for the club than Mo Salah‘s tally of 14: Steven Gerrard, who has 30.
Ian Rush also has 14, with Firmino and Mane one goal further behind.
Odds and ends
Only Alisson has played every minute of Liverpool’s European campaign this season. Sadio Mane has missed only two minutes while Andy Robertson had missed just eight minutes before his suspension this evening.
Porto are the first team from mainland Europe to face Liverpool at this stage of the Champions League since PSV Eindhoven in 2007. Since then the Reds have met Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City in the last eight.
The only man to appear in every European game for the Reds under Jurgen Klopp is Roberto Firmino (35 matches).
Porto view
FC Porto have never beaten Liverpool in six competitive meetings, with three draws and three defeats.
Tiquinho Soares, when netting the first of his team’s goals against Roma, scored Porto’s 250th goal in the competition.
Moussa Marega, in Porto’s last game, became the second African player to score in six successive Champions League appearances. He did miss the first leg against Roma.
Porto have been drawn against English opposition on 19 previous occasions.
In England they have not won in those 19 visits—avoiding defeat on three occasions.
Iker Casillas is playing in a record 20th successive Champions League campaign. He has faced the Reds five times in his career, all in this competition, winning twice and losing twice, with the one draw coming at Anfield a year ago.
He did not play in Liverpool’s 5-0 win at Porto.
Tonight’s visitors are unbeaten in their last six matches in all competitions—five wins and a draw—since losing at home to Benfica in the league last month.
Porto have scored six penalties in their last eight games, with four coming in the last four.
Scorers this season
Liverpool: Salah 21, Mane 20, Firmino 14, Milner 6, Shaqiri 6, Sturridge 4, Van Dijk 4, Origi 3, Wijnaldum 2, Alexander-Arnold 1, Fabinho 1, Henderson 1, Keita 1, Lovren 1, Matip 1, own goals 3.
Porto: Tiquinho Soares 19, Marega 17, Brahimi 11, Herrera 8, Adrian 6, Alex Telles 5, Jesus Corona 5, Otavio 6, Aboubakar 4, Eder Militao 4, Felipe 3, Hernani 3, Andre Pereira 3, Danilo Pereira 2, Fernando 2, Sergio Oliveira 2, Pepe 2, Bazoer 1, Diogo Leite 1, Maxi Pereira 1, Mouandilimadji 1, Oliver Torres 1, own goals 2.
* All stats thanks to LFC club statistician Ged Rea.
