What are the odds of Liverpool eliminating Barcelona in Champions League semi-final?

When Liverpool tackle Barcelona on Tuesday at Anfield, they will be trying to achieve the apparently impossible by turning around a 3-0 first-leg deficit to the Catalans.

Luis Suarez opened the scoring at Camp Nou six days ago before Lionel Messi added a couple of second-half goals to Barca’s tally, apparently carrying the tie out of reach of their hosts.

The task for Jurgen Klopp is made all the harder because of the absence of Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino due to injury, a fact acknowledged by the manager himself.

“We know how big the challenge is. We will try 100 per cent,” he said during his pre-match press conference on Monday. “Two of the world's best strikers are not available and we have to score four goals against Barcelona.

“That doesn't make life easy, but we will try.”

In order for Liverpool to go through in normal time, they will have to win by a clear four goals – a margin of defeat that the Catalans have not suffered since their infamous 4-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain on Valentine’s Day 2017.

According to Bet365, the odds on Liverpool winning 4-0 are 50/1, although a greater margin of victory would of course be enough to secure a place in the final.

Meanwhile, a 3-0 win for the Reds would be sufficient to push the match into extra-time and potentially penalties. At Bet365, the odds on this scoreline are 25/1.

Any other three-goal victory for Klopp’s men would see the Catalans progress via the away goals rule.

But rather than predicting an exact scoreline, what are the odds of Liverpool simply qualifying?

Bet365 give Liverpool an 18/1 shot of going through.

Perhaps better highlighting the monumental task they face are the odds of Barcelona progressing to the final at the Wanda Metropolitano on June 1. Barca are offered at 1/50, meaning that for every £50 placed on the Catalans, the bettor would get £1 back if they were to progress.

Liverpool’s chances are slim but as a club with a history of magical Champions League comebacks, they will be backing themselves to progress, no matter the apparently impossible odds they face on Tuesday.