Liverpool would register their “greatest result ever” if they were to complete a Champions League comeback against Barcelona, says Mark Lawrenson, with victory over the Liga giants topping a memorable turnaround against AC Milan in 2005.
The Reds are set to welcome the Blaugrana to Anfield on Tuesday trailing a European semi-final 3-0 on aggregate.
They faced a similar deficit against Milan 14 years ago heading into the second half of a final clash in Istanbul.
Rafa Benitez’s side turned that tie on its head to prevail on penalties, but Lawrenson believes toppling Barca would be an even better achievement.
The former Reds defender told BBC Sport: “If Liverpool come out of Tuesday's second leg against Barcelona and they are in the Champions League final, it would be the Reds' greatest result ever.
“They have obviously had some big ones before and I have been there to play in or watch most of them, but because of the way Barcelona are, and particularly because of the genius of Lionel Messi, if Jurgen Klopp's side get through this tie then this would be a recovery like nothing else I have seen before.
“Of course people will read that and ask ‘what about Istanbul?’ - when Liverpool famously fought back from being 3-0 down at half-time against AC Milan to win the 2005 Champions League final, but that was slightly different.
“That performance was absolutely brilliant, but it basically was just down to them gambling everything to get back in the game and throwing everyone forward.
“Do that again this time, and the tie will probably be over within a matter of minutes.”
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Liverpool find themselves in this position after seeing Messi net twice during a memorable first leg at Camp Nou.
Lawrenson admits that Jurgen Klopp’s troops need to find a way of containing the mercurial Argentine, although even that may not be enough given that Barca boast a star-studded squad that also includes former Reds Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho.
“The problem in talking about why Liverpool have still got a chance is that also you have to remember why they are in this position in the first place - Lionel Messi,” added 1984 European Cup winner Lawrenson.
“Clearly Liverpool need to score some goals, but they also need to stop him, somehow.
“To do that, they will need to play in Barcelona's half as much as possible because, as brilliant as Messi is, I haven't seen him score from his own half yet.
“If Liverpool do manage to get some control of the game, and see lots of the ball in Barca's territory, then it is possible that they can negate Messi a bit.
“But, even if that works, you just know there will be a spell in the game where he will come alive and then it will be a case of "’hang on to your hats’.”
