Xherdan Shaqiri revealed that several Liverpool players were in tears in the dressing room after their extraordinary Champions League semi-final comeback against Barcelona at Anfield on Tuesday night.

Two goals apiece for Divock Origi and Georginio Wijnaldum, combined with an exceptional all-round team performance, earned Jurgen Klopp’s side the 4-0 win they required to progress within 90 minutes.

Liverpool will now play either Ajax or Tottenham Hotspur in next month’s Madrid final, having become only the fourth team in Champions League history to overturn a first-leg deficit of three goals or more.

Several players appeared emotional upon the sound of the final whistle, with James Milner pictured crying on the pitch. Shaqiri revealed that those scenes continued inside the dressing room, even if his own eyes stayed dry.

“Crazy. Everyone was shocked, like they couldn’t believe it,” Shaqiri said. “We were celebrating, some of the guys were crying. Me? No! I am just so happy, so happy to have helped.

Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Show all 23 1 /23 Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Alisson Becker – 8 out of 10 In a game that required a clean sheet he made some crucial saves including one to deny Jordi Alba on the stroke of half-time. REUTERS Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Trent Alexander-Arnold – 8 out of 10 Was strong in clearing the ball and winning defensive headers but was exceptional going forward. AP Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Joel Matip – 7 out of 10 Partnered van Dijk to perfection and kept a clean sheet against Barcelona. AFP/Getty Images Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Virgil van Dijk – 7 out of 10 Commanding at the back and didn’t allow Messi to get the better of him, especially when Barca threw it all at them in the dying minutes. EPA Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Andy Robertson ­– 6 out of 10 Looked a little slower than usual due to injury but still had a shot saved, made a last-ditch tackle and got stuck into Suarez, all before being subbed at half-time. PA Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Henderson – 7 out of 10 Played exceptionally well early in the first-half with enterprising runs into the box, one of which led to the opening goal. Action Images via Reuters Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Fabinho – 7 out of 10 Got stuck right into the contest from the start. He clashed with Suarez, Vidal, Lenglet and Busquets and made lots of good challenges to break down Barcelona’s attacks. Action Images via Reuters Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Georginio Wijnaldum (substitute) – 9 out of 10 The definition of a super-sub. Two goals in four minutes in the second half drew Liverpool level and Origi finished off the job. Getty Images Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona James Milner – 6 out of 10 Is a stable presence in the Liverpool mid-field, he threw himself into tackles and was able to supply balls for Mane, Origi and Shaqiri and filled in at left-back when Robertson was subbed off. Action Images via Reuters Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Xherdan Shaqiri – 7 out of 10 Worked very hard to close down players but lacked control on the ball in the first half but when it mattered, he put a perfect cross in to find Wijnaldum. REUTERS Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Divock Origi – 9 out of 10 Offered Liverpool some pace at the top and got into the right position to tap-in the opening goal and was the only man alert for Alexander-Arnold’s corner to give Liverpool a winner and send them through to the final. AP Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Sadio Mane – 7 out of 10 Was sharp up front especially against Roberto and Vidal on Barcelona’s right-hand side and created lots of chances for Liverpool. EPA Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Marc-Andre ter Stegen – 6 out of 10 Made a good save to deny Robertson and was quick off his line when he sensed danger but looked less than his usual quality self. Action Images via Reuters Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Sergi Roberto – 5 out of 10 Grew into the game at right back and made some good tackles in vital moments. Getty Images Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Gerard Pique – 6 out of 10 Was the leader for Barcelona at the back and gave it his all making blocks and crucial times and taking the ball off Mane, Origi and Shaqiri. Action Images via Reuters Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Clement Lenglet – 6 out of 10 Was a strong presence in the back line and quick out to clear the ball from Liverpool’s strikers. Liverpool FC via Getty Images Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Jordi Alba – 5 out of 10 Had a tough time in defence when we all know he prefers to bomb forward leaving Busquets to cover him. When he did go forward, he had a couple of chances, but Alisson was there to deny him a goal. Getty Images Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Arturo Vidal – 6 out of 10 Had a physical game and left it all out on the pitch tackling Mane, Milner, everyone really. Getty Images Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Sergio Busquets – 5 out of 10 Didn’t like it when he had to cover for Jordi Alba at left-back and got lost in mid-field. Action Images via Reuters Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Ivan Rakitic – 5 out of 10 Liverpool kept him quiet all night, he had a couple of decent runs down the wings but had little impact for Barcelona. EPA Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Philippe Coutinho – 4 out of 10 Was subbed off on the hour mark with the scores level and had one shot saved by Alisson. EPA Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Lionel Messi – 6 out of 10 Fancy footwork, clinical passes and plenty of shots is par for the course for Messi but he even couldn’t drag Barcelona through to the final. Getty Images Player ratings: Liverpool vs Barcelona Luis Suarez – 6 out of 10 Scrappy, aggressive and the pantomime villain as usual. His battle with Fabinho was a highlight. Action Images via Reuters

“We have achieved something special. The manager didn’t change things a lot. He just told us to perform, to keep going. We knew everything could happen and we are really proud of what we have achieved.”

Liverpool’s victory will go down as one of the greatest European nights in Anfield’s history, trumping famous meetings with Internazionale in 1965, Saint-Etienne in 1977 and Borussia Dortmund in 2015.

Shaqiri, who joined Liverpool last summer and has previously won the Champions League as a Bayern Munich player, struggled to express his delight with the turnaround but stressed the importance of keeping faith.

“If you believe – if you believe in life – anything and everything can happen,” he said. “The fans they pushed us to the end. They wouldn’t let us stop.

“Honestly, it is just belief. I say it, always in life you have to believe that you can achieve special things.