The Europa League final of 2016 leaves a sour taste in the mouth for many people connected to Liverpool, but, as captain Jordan Henderson says, that was the night that Jurgen Klopp truly believes the club was on the way to achieving something special.
Liverpool take on Villareal on Wednesday night in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final at Anfield and the Spanish sides manager, Unai Emery, was the catalyst behind Sevilla's 3-1 win over the Reds in Europa League final six years ago.
Times have changed now and Jurgen Klopp 's side are considered by many as the best in the world, but that night in Basel sticks in the mind of the Liverpool skipper as a turning point in his sides fortunes. The Reds are now looking to compete in their third Champions League final in five years.
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Speaking in the pre-match press conference ahead of Liverpool's semi-final clash at Anfield on Wednesday night, Henderson spoke of how Klopp was different to what he'd ever experienced after that loss in Basel.
"That night always sticks out to us, I always remember it just because I can remember after the game going back to the hotel," Henderson said. "Obviously, all of the lads are disappointed and you just want to go back to your room and not see anyone. The gaffer was a bit different to what you would expect, he had everyone downstairs together in the bar area and we just spent the night together.
"I felt that he knew this was the start of something special to come. As a player, it's very difficult to think that then when you've just lost a final, but I always felt he was very different to what I'd seen before and that night always sticks out in my mind. He sort of knew what was coming in the next few years and I feel he's produced that and he's proven that was the beginning of something special."
Since that loss in 2016, Liverpool have won the Champions League, Premier League and are now battling for a historic quadruple. Henderson admitted he struggled to believe it was the start of something at Anfield.
"No because we'd just lost a final!" Henderson added. "It was more difficult for us as players to see past that night at that moment because you're so devastated that you've just lost in a European final. That's why it stuck out because the manager was different, the mentality was different.
"Yes, he was disappointed, but I felt as though he knew it was the start and that confidence then transcends to the players. You're still disappointed the next day, but as days go on, you start to try and use that as motivation to be better and try to get to another European final trying to improve as a team and be successful going forward. It's been pretty eventful since then.
"I felt as though there was something special as soon as the manager came in, to be honest. I think everybody did with the lift he gave the club, the team, the players, everybody really. You felt it then, but it's difficult when you've lost a European final and you're so focused on that night. The manager had a very good way of seeing the bigger picture and using that experience going forward."
