Steven Gerrard believes Liverpool's Europa League semi-final second-leg tie against Atlético Madrid next week will be an occasion "when heroes are made". The Merseyside club lost the first leg at the Vicente Calderón on Thursday night 1-0 but, according to Gerrard, they still retain hope of making the final in Hamburg on 12 May.
"It is still half-time," said the Liverpool captain. "We are still confident we can progress and we know we can turn any result around with our fans behind us, especially a 1-0.
"Although it's not the perfect result for us – it's a bit of a dangerous result – everyone in the dressing room is confident. I'm really looking forward to next week and the sooner Thursday comes around the better. If you don't want to play in that game there is something wrong.
Liverpool have been in this position many times before and on several occasions this season have taken teams back to Anfield and turned things around.
Against Lille they trailed 1-0 and won 3-1 on aggregate, and they demolished an accomplished Benfica side 4-1 in the quarter-final second leg having been 2-1 down from the first game in Portugal.
In fact, Liverpool's record when playing European semi-final second legs at home is formidable, with seven victories and one draw.
It is that experience which Gerrard expects will provide the platform for yet another famous night at Anfield, even without the injured Fernando Torres.
"The frustrating thing was that we were nowhere near our best and had no cutting edge in the final third in Madrid," said the 29-year-old. "We haven't played well at all on the road in the league or in Europe but we've got the experience, the know-how, of turning these results around.
"Next week will be a lot different on our pitch with our fans behind us I'm sure we'll play at a higher tempo and create more chances.
"It is still half-time," said the Liverpool captain. "We are still confident we can progress and we know we can turn any result around with our fans behind us, especially a 1-0.
"Although it's not the perfect result for us – it's a bit of a dangerous result – everyone in the dressing room is confident. I'm really looking forward to next week and the sooner Thursday comes around the better. If you don't want to play in that game there is something wrong.
Liverpool have been in this position many times before and on several occasions this season have taken teams back to Anfield and turned things around.
Against Lille they trailed 1-0 and won 3-1 on aggregate, and they demolished an accomplished Benfica side 4-1 in the quarter-final second leg having been 2-1 down from the first game in Portugal.
In fact, Liverpool's record when playing European semi-final second legs at home is formidable, with seven victories and one draw.
It is that experience which Gerrard expects will provide the platform for yet another famous night at Anfield, even without the injured Fernando Torres.
"The frustrating thing was that we were nowhere near our best and had no cutting edge in the final third in Madrid," said the 29-year-old. "We haven't played well at all on the road in the league or in Europe but we've got the experience, the know-how, of turning these results around.
"Next week will be a lot different on our pitch with our fans behind us I'm sure we'll play at a higher tempo and create more chances.
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