For the Liverpool fans making their way back into Basel after the Europa League final, the road ahead was littered with empty bottles and broken dreams. For a brief sliver, the 11 minutes following Daniel Sturridge's exquisite 34th minute goal when Sevilla were rocked back on their heels, another famous European night in the club's history had seemed certain.
But the second half was harrowing from just 20 seconds in, when Kevin Gameiro slotted in Mariano Ferreira's cross for the equaliser. After that, the night went flat and Jurgen Klopp no longer seemed the warrior-poet miracle worker that his team's run to the Europa League final had suggested.