By Jordan Carreno

For the first time in a decade, the Reds will feature in back to back Champion’s League seasons. It is an objective the club has been working towards ever since that mighty Rafa side was gutted and sold off. It is the first step in getting the club back where it belongs; among the European elite.

So, this Thursday at 3pm EST when the who’s who of European football gather in Monaco to draw the groups for the first stage of the competition, it will mark the beginning of the next phase of Liverpool’s resurrection.

With Liverpool comfortably nestled in Pot 3, there exists a very high chance that Klopp’s men could get drawn into a tough group featuring “big names” from top to bottom. However if that does happen, and you’re new to this whole Liverpool in Europe experience, allow me to quash any unnecessary worry or spouted doubt ahead of time.

Liverpool’s Mystic Pedigree

It may have been odd for newer generations of fans to stand on terraces around Europe and in pubs across the world and belt out a song about Liverpool conquering all of Europe. I mean, this was a side that was only featuring for the second time in a decade in UEFA’s top competition. Some of them might not have been around for that night against Dortmund, and even if they were they might not have understood its context in the larger Liverpool story.

A lot of them wouldn’t have been following the team back in 2005 when Liverpool underdogged it’s way straight through the competition, seemingly having to fight back and drag their way across the line at every stage. For me, watching that campaign unfold introduced a very important trait of Liverpool as a club in Europe.

In my eyes, football is romance. As much as the game is about the tactics and players inside the lines, it is equally about the wavy, spiritual realm that exists just outside the pitch. I believe in the mysticism because I’ve seen it too many times to discount it. I saw it when we were 3–1 down with 30 minutes left and trailing on away goals, but still knew deep down, somehow, the team would go through.

It was there in that lovely cushioned header in front of the Kop at the death. It was the tens of thousands of supporters singing “You’ll Never Walk Alone” 3–0 down at the half. That moment when the ball fell to the opposition striker, six yards out, and he somehow sent it wide through a sea of bodies. The day a certain Spanish newspaper asked “this is Anfield?” and she responded by handing their team a 4–0 defeat. Watching these with my own eyes only reinforced the gospel older supporters preached and turned me to a devout believer.

This mystical aspect of football is often downplayed by managers and ignored by pundits, but the more you get to experience football, and more specifically European football with Liverpool, the harder it is to ignore. The more you read about Liverpool’s history and experience these European nights (going back to nights like Inter Milan and Saint-Étienne), the more you become convinced that Liverpool are destined, maybe even by divine right, to conquer the continent.

For most of my time as a Liverpool supporter, it was one of my main reasons for believing Liverpool could do well in Europe. Sometimes, it was my only reason. When you’ve got Djimi Traore and Scott Carson in the side, you learn to cling to anything you’ve got. When you watch them end up with winners medals, you start believing it might be all you need.

Incredible odd defying victories in Europe at Anfield seem to be a habit for Liverpool

You start to couple that magic with talent on the field and you begin to create an unstoppable force. It’s why Rafa was able to knock out Barcelona and Real Madrid in his later years. Why City were absolutely blown away when they came to Anfield for the quarter final. Teams may be able to come close to matching our talent on the pitch, but they won’t be prepared for the mysticism and magic around it.

That’s why, headed into the draw on Thursday, I won’t be too bothered if we do end up getting something close to a “group of death”. When I look at the field of teams there isn’t a squad that I genuinely fear. Liverpool proved last year on their way to the final that we have one of the best attacking squads in the competition.

After strengthening our midfield and fortifying our back line, we now have one of the best all around squads in the tournament. We also are under the stewardship of one of the greatest managers in football. On top of all that, we have a feared stadium that, especially when it is disrespected, will assert itself onto the opposition. There really are no reasons to fear any team we get grouped with. In fact, we’re likely one of the teams that everyone wants to avoid now.

A Point to Prove

That’s not to say that we’ve achieved our ultimate goals or that we should be satisfied as a whole with where we are at. Obviously the defeat in the final has left a sour taste in everyone’s mouth. There are rights to wrong and grudges to be settled, but that makes me even more excited.

Underdog Liverpool, spited Liverpool, Liverpool with a point to prove is the type of Liverpool that hits the hardest during midweek. That’s the Liverpool that wins 3–0 against the “greatest English team ever”, that somehow claws back from 3–0 down against a world class AC Milan, that goes and wins a penalty up the other end after conceding the vital away goal to Arsenal.

Plus, if you’re going to be in Europe you might as well test yourself. I would have loved to see that 13/14 Liverpool squad with Suarez have a go at the Barcelona, Real Madrid, or Bayern Munich of that time. I already know they could have wiped the floor with an Ajax or a Galatasaray. Going head-to-head against the perceived best sides gives you a chance to prove that you’re better. Ultimately, being a Liverpool supporter is already knowing you’re the greatest side in Europe, but having the evidence to back it just makes it undeniable for the rest of the world. It may be cliche, but it rings true: to be the best you have to beat the best.

Anfield and the Kop are never afraid to remind everyone; Liverpool are Euorpean Royalty and we will never stop

So, if Liverpool come out of the bowl and get dropped in with some so called “European Giants” don’t get yourself worked up. With the squad, history, and mystical forces we have, I would consider us favorites against any team we come up against. Personally, I would relish the chance to make things right with either of the two big Spanish clubs. I’d also love a chance for Klopp to get after his personal nemesis Bayern. I wouldn’t back away from an opportunity to tone down the Neymar and Mbappe hype.

That’s to say that whoever we get, in the group stages or later on, will likely be more terrified of us than the opposite. Between our front three running full force at them and the prospects of a few thousand Scousers screaming their heads off at the bus greetings and inside Anfield, no one will fancy a turn with this Liverpool team.

So when we do learn our fate on Thursday, I would ask everyone repeat the following lyrics in their head afterward, “we’ve conquered all of Europe, we’re never going to stop.” That line is much more than a refrain from a chant, it is a reminder of our pedigree. This season in particular, it is going to take a lot more than a big name to keep us from the destiny that is rightfully ours; Conquering Kings of Europe.