Liverpool 4 Dortmund 3: Divock Origi reveals Jürgen Klopp's half-time words of inspiration
The Belgian striker's goal after the break set the incredible comeback in motion
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Divock Origi has revealed Jürgen Klopp’s half-time words which inspired Liverpool to their incredible 4-3 Europa League quarter-final victory over Borussia Dortmund at Anfield on Thursday night.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s early strikes had the visitors 2-0 up after just 10 minutes. Origi’s goal, just after the break, was soon followed by one from Dortmund’s Marco Reus and at 3-1, with two-thirds of the game gone, Liverpool needed three to progress.
Goals from Philippe Coutinho, Mamadou Sakho and Dejan Lovren, who headed home in added-on time, turned the tie on its head within the space of 24 frantic minutes and sealed a 5-4 win on aggregate.
Origi hailed Klopp’s half-time team talk, which evoked Liverpool’s historic comeback in the 2005 Champions League final against Milan.
"The manager was very calm, surprisingly calm," said the 20-year-old, who has scored four goals in his last three appearances.
"That's the class of a big manager. You could see no panic, no stress, he believed in us and in the end it helped.
"He gives us belief and we tried to reward that, the belief of the fans, everything.
At half-time he told us we just had to do everything to make it a special evening to tell your children and grandchildren.
"The manager just said that we lived to play in evenings like this.
"We had nothing to lose. We just had to go. We had to play and show our qualities and believe in ourselves and at the end we could win.
"It was a special evening," Origi added. "At half-time he told us we just had to do everything to make it a special evening to tell your children and grandchildren."
The win came on the eve of the 27th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, in which 96 Liverpool fans lost their lives at a FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.
Both sets of supporters paid tribute to the victims of the tragedy and a minute’s silence was held before kick-off.
"When we came in (to the stadium) the atmosphere was a special feeling,” Origi said. “The supporters received us very warmly.
"At the beginning of the game, even if it was difficult, it felt very special and of course in the end we won."
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