For a while, there was hope. When Daniel Sturridge cleverly received the ball and scored a magnificent goal with the outside of his left foot in the 35th minute, the whole of Liverpool rejoiced. Memories of the "Miracle of Istanbul" from 2005 rushed back, when Liverpool won the Champions League against AC Milan in an incredible comeback, scoring three second-half goals.

Except on Thursday in the 2016 Europa League final against Spanish giants Sevilla, Liverpool did a reverse Istanbul and went on to concede three second-half goals themselves.

Sevilla's impressive comeback started just 17 seconds after the break. Kevin Gameiro was on hand to tap in an exceptional cross to put Sevilla on level terms. And then it was their appropriately-named captain Coke who sizzled, scoring two successive goals to give the Sevilla their third successive Europa League title.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp cut a subdued figure at the end. In the first half, he was his typically boisterous self but as Sevilla inched back, he became more and more animated, clashing with the referee and linesmen. It was a devastated Liverpool team that quietly went down the tunnel at the final whistle. A season of resurgence had faded without even a whimper - despite all their efforts, there will be no Champions League football for Klopp's men next season.