Liverpool have a reputation for glorious European nights at Anfield – but the 2010 Europa League semi-final against Atletico Madrid wasn’t one of them.
Looking to salvage something from a disappointing season, Liverpool cancelled out Atleti’s first-leg lead and went another goal ahead in extra-time. But Diego Forlan’s strike secured a place in the final for the away side and Rafa Benitez left Anfield a few weeks later.
We’ve taken a look to see where the players that appeared in the second leg at Anfield have ended up now.
GK: Pepe Reina
Reina left Liverpool in 2014 with 396 appearances to his name and a permanent place in the hearts of Reds fans.
The 40-year-old hasn’t officially retired yet and is on the books of Villarreal. But his courting of far-right political parties and appearance as a giant penguin on the Spanish version of The Masked Singer are the signs of somebody with an eye on their post-playing career.
RB: Javier Mascherano (Philipp Degen ‘110)
A perfect enforcer in the centre of midfield for three years, Mascherano had to fill in on the right side of the defence in this game and he left for Barcelona in 2010 after Liverpool failed to qualify for the Champions League.
Since retiring in 2020, the former Argentina captain has kept a relatively low profile – although he did vocally back FIFA’s proposals for a biennial World Cup in exchange for what was a presumably heavy suitcase.
Degen’s time at Anfield was ruined by injuries and his contract was terminated in 2011 after only 13 club appearances. He spent the rest of his career at Basel, retiring in 2016.
On this day in 2008, Javier Mascherano scored his first goal for Liverpool with an absolute belter against Reading.
What a player Masch was 🔴💪
— Anfield Edition (@AnfieldEdition) March 15, 2020
CB: Daniel Agger
Sporting many tattoos and a no-nonsense attitude to defending, Agger wooed The Kop during his eight years as a Liverpool player.
Agger is back in his native Denmark these days, managing HB Koge in the Danish first division since March 2021.
CB: Jamie Carragher
Appears on our screens weekly winding up Gary Neville. Which is a job that most of the population of Merseyside would give their right arm for.
READ: Nine of the funniest moments of Gary Neville & Jamie Carragher’s bromance
LB: Glen Johnson
He might have been forced to the left in this encounter but Johnson made the right-back slot his own under a succession…
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