Liverpool announced their return to the top of European football after a famous Champions League night in Germany.
Sadio Mane scored twice and Virgil van Dijk also netted as the Reds beat Bayern Munich 3-1 on the night and on aggregate in their Champions League round of 16 tie.
The only negatives were an ankle injury that forced Jordan Henderson off early on and a late yellow card for Andy Robertson that rules him out of the quarter-final first leg.
And Jurgen Klopp was delighted at his team’s performances, which ensures four Premier League teams in the quarter-finals for the first time since 2008.
“Scoring three goals here is massive, and a big step for us, a big, big step for us,” said the Reds boss.
“We will see what we can do with it but it is a fantastic sign.
“We set a mark for Liverpool tonight that we are back on the international landscape as a football club. I am really happy about the result and the fact that we are through.
“I see it like all the boys see it in dressing room and everybody who sees it with us, it is a big night.
“I knew we had a chance but I didn’t expect it would happen – but the boys made it happen and it was really brilliant.”
Mane opened the scoring midway through the first half only for a rare defensive lapse to allow Bayern to level six minutes before the break through Joel Matip’s own goal.
Liverpool, though, were completely dominant in the second half to earn their place in the last eight for the second successive season, joining
Manchester City and United, Tottenham, Barcelona, Juventus, Porto and Ajax.
And of the win, Klopp said: “It’s important for where we want to get to.
“Whichever team comes here – Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona – they wouldn’t expect to win it. They know it’s a tough place to come.
“This club always has outstandingly strong football teams, but we kept them away from our goal as well as possible. There were not too many difficult situations in and around our box and that is massive sign.”
“It is not about playing free flowing football because that is not possible against a side of this quality, you have to find different ways and we found them and that makes me really proud and happy because I think his club deserves recognition and awareness again.”
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