Shaqiri speaks on Liverpool’s belief after reaching Champions League final

Switzerland international Xherdan Shaqiri has spoken about the belief in the Liverpool side after they made a stunning comeback against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final. The Reds appeared down and out after suffering a 3-0 loss in the first leg but they made a tremendous return at Anfield where they scored four goals without reply to progress.

Speaking in a press conference, Shaqiri acknowledged that the result shocked many in the footballing fraternity and there were tears among the Reds players in the dressing room, he said: “Crazy. Everyone was shocked, like they couldn't believe it. We were celebrating, some of the guys were crying. Me? No! I am just so happy, so happy to have helped. We have achieved something special. The manager didn't change things a lot. He just told us to perform, to keep going. We knew everyone had written us off because of what happened in the first leg. It was an incredible performance. If you believe - if you believe in life - anything and everything can happen.”

With the outcome, Liverpool managed to reach their second Champions League final in as many seasons and they have a good chance of securing the trophy this time around when they face Tottenham Hotspur in Madrid. On paper, they are certainly the better team after outclassing Spurs during the domestic seasons but they can afford any complacency with their opponents breaking the odds to reach the competition’s final.

Meanwhile, Shaqiri may have to settle for a bench role during the final next month and thereafter, he may need to make a decision regarding his future. The attacker has been largely an outsider under Jurgen Klopp during the backend of the campaign and it will be interesting to see whether he is tempted to leave the club in the search for regular gametime.