What a decade this was for Fenway Sports Group teams! As we move into the 2020s, join NESN.com in looking back at the decade that was with the best Liverpool FC of 2010-2019! (And check out the rest of our “Best of the Decade” content here.)
Liverpool FC is ending the 2010s decade atop European soccer’s summit.
The 2018-19 Reds are our pick for Liverpool’s Team of the Decade because they won the UEFA Champions League and lifted club soccer’s most prestigious trophy, the European Cup, for the sixth time in Liverpool’s storied history. The Champions League triumph was the Reds’ first since 2005, and the fact it came one year after they lost to Real Madrid in the 2018 final made it that much sweeter.
Liverpool’s run to glory began in September with a thrilling win over Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield, but subsequent setbacks against Napoli, Red Star Belgrade and PSG pushed the Reds to the brink of a disastrous group-stage exit. However, they clinched a spot in the knockout rounds Dec. 11 with a narrow win over Napoli in their group-stage finale.
Liverpool coolly topped Bayern Munich 3-1 on aggregate in the Round of 16, then dispatched FC Porto 6-1 in the quarterfinals in March and April, respectively.
Next was a semifinal series for the ages in May against FC Barcelona. After losing 3-0 in Barcelona in the first leg, Liverpool booked a place in the Champions League final by beating Lionel Messi and Co. 4-0 at Anfield in what some consider the greatest comeback in the history of the competition.
The Reds were on to Madrid, where they faced Tottenham on June 1 at Wanda Metropolitano Stadium. The referee awarded Liverpool a penalty kick after just 24 seconds when Sadio Mane’s pass hit Moussa Sissoko’s arm inside Tottenham’s penalty area. Mohamed Salah converted the penalty kick in the second minute, and the Reds held off Tottenham for the rest of the game. Divock Origi scored in the 87th minute to seal the 2-0 win.
Just before the Champions League final, the 2018-19 Reds fell one point short of claiming the Premier League title after an epic title race against Manchester City. The 2019-20 Liverpool squad is on course to win its first domestic title in 30 years and start the new decade on a high.
