FC Liverpool came short, 0-1 at home against a modest team named Burnley. OK, the away winning club has two England championship titles in 1921 and 1960, but their CV is nothing compared to Liverpool’s especially that the 83rd minute penalty goal scored by Barnes put an end to a non-losing home streak of The Reds of… 68 games! Almost four years! Well, that is indeed a performance. But! This is not by far the thing I want to point out, because this FC Liverpool – Burnley 0-1 decided on 21st of January 2021 by Barnes remind me of another game. In fact, it is about another story, but let us take it step by step.
22.11.1997: FC Liverpool – Barnsley 0-1
22.11.1997: FC Liverpool – Barnsley 0-1. The shock was big, not like this one, but still. Because nobody can claim that it is easy to win on Anfield. Letting aside the similarity between the names involved here and putting aside also the fact that the games were plaid on Liverpool’s home pitch, the background for the match from 23 years ago stays in a book. A really great book: “The keeper of dreams”. Considering it was written by Ronald Reng, the author of “A life too short”, the bone-chilling story of Robert Enke, I’ve said to give it a try. And I didn’t regret it.
Fabulous story of Lars Leese
Long story short, the book is basically a story of a German goalkeeper, Lars Leese, who played almost all his career as an amateur. Almost! Apart from two seasons. Between 1997 – 1999. When he played in the… Premier League! Exactly, at Barnsley. Until 27 years he had a full time job and played at lower tier football clubs, just for fun. Even though he was, indeed, a great talent at junior level for FC Köln. Still, his career went down. Until 1996, when he was already 27 years old and he signed with Bayer Leverkusen! First time ever when he was a pro. Of course, he didn’t play a single game at the squad who was fighting for the Bundesliga.
Back to amateur football
But appeared in the extended squad for the… Champions League. So, in one season, pro but without a game played he was, somehow, marketed for the new-promoted club from England. As a… Champions’ League goalkeeper! Well, first as a reserve, but he did played 16 matches in one of the most powerful leagues in the World! And by far the most important game in which he appeared was FC Liverpool – Barnsley 0-1. The top of his career! After 1999, at 30 years, he returned playing amateur football, even though for sides like Mönchengladbach and Köln. He only appeared in the second squad for them so we cannot say he ever kept it pro. But still, what a story!
After 68 unbeaten run…
Now, with this loss of FC Liverpool after a straight margin of 68 games without defeat, the similarities between the names involved re-brought in the light this wonderful story. A football story that proves, once more that everything can become possible in sport and in top European football. In 1997, but also in 2021. Let us follow what is coming. Because, most likely, European football will regain his romantic flavor in only a couple of years, because the dramatic TV rights decrease…
Foto: rfbl.pl