The Reds were last in Europa League action back in 2016.
Liverpool are set to end a seven-year absence from Europa League football when they face LASK on Thursday evening. Last time they were in Europe’s second-tier club competition, Jurgen Klopp’s side lost 3-1 to Sevilla in the final, but a look back at their starting XI on the night shows just how far the Reds have come…
Goalkeeper: Mignolet
Simon Mignolet made more than 200 first-team appearances for Liverpool between 2013 and 2019, including a start in the Europa League final. It won’t have felt good picking the ball out of his net three times in the second half, with Kevin Gameiro and Coke coming up with the goals between them.
The Belgian was ultimately replaced by Alisson Becker on Merseyside, and he has been a regular back in his homeland with Club Brugge ever since.
Jurgen Klopp was left disappointed last time Liverpool played in the Europa League (Image: GETTY)
Defence: Clyne, Lovren, Toure, Moreno
After suffering Europa League heartbreak, Nathaniel Clyne would only have one more season as a Liverpool regular before sliding into relative obscurity. On the opposite flank, Alberto Moreno failed to inspire a win over his former side in 2016. Three more campaigns with the Reds followed before heading back to La Liga, where he currently plays for Villarreal.
In central defence, Kolo Toure was released in the same summer as the Europa League final, playing one more professional season with Celtic before retiring. Dejan Lovren is still going strong at the age of 34, leaving Liverpool in 2020 and spending three years at Zenit before moving to Lyon back in January.
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Midfield: Milner, Firmino, Can
Premier League veteran James Milner, 37, was still at Liverpool until this summer, when he joined Brighton upon the expiration of his contract. Alongside him in holding midfield was Emre Can, who moved onto Juventus in 2018 and is currently with Borussia Dortmund.
Playing in attacking midfield against Sevilla was Roberto Firmino, who was still towards the start of his eight-year Liverpool journey by the time of the Europa League final. A haul of 111 goals in 362 appearances reflects his importance to Klopp’s side over the years, although he too jumped ship this summer, joining Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia.
Daniel Sturridge scored Liverpool’s only goal against Sevilla (Image: Getty)
Attack: Lallana, Sturridge, Coutinho
Still plugging away at 35 years old, Adam Lallana is another of Liverpool’s starting XI to have fled for Brighton as he headed for the south coast in 2020. Lining up on the opposite flank was Philippe Coutinho, who was just about coming into his prime on Merseyside before a big-money move to Barcelona saw his career steadily decline.
The Brazilian is now on the books of Aston Villa, who sent him on loan to Qatari side Al-Duhail for the campaign ahead. Up top against Sevilla, and the scorer of Liverpool’s only goal on the night, was Daniel Sturridge.
The former England international was prolific for the Reds, bagging 67 goals in 160 matches, but he is still without a club almost 18 months after leaving Perth Glory, and Sturridge has never officially announced his retirement.
