VIDEO: How Liverpool booked UCL final date with Madrid in Roma cliffhanger

Liverpool set up a repeat of their 1981 meeting against Real Madrid despite a first Champions League defeat of the season at the Stadio Olimpico.

A chaotic 4-2 semi-final second leg loss to Roma saw Liverpool progress 7-6 on aggregate, with victory secured thanks to Sadio Mane’s 19th of the season and the rare sight of Georginio Wijnaldum’s first away goal in almost three years.

A fortuitous own goal by James Milner in between had put the hosts back in the game, while Edin Dzeko’s strike shortly after half-time ensured the Reds endured a testing conclusion and two late goals for Radja Nainngolan – including a penalty with the last kick of the game – came too late for Roma.

But Liverpool move on from defeating the same opponents against whom they won their fourth European Cup – in this very stadium in 1984 – to facing the club they beat 37 years ago for their third.

Given the way they have taken teams apart in this competition a sixth triumph in Kiev is a realistic possibility, although whether their defending can cope against reigning champions who have won three of the last four titles is open to question.

Jurgen Klopp’s side are smashing all kinds of records this season and another one fell as they reached 46 goals in 14 Champions League matches (including qualifiers), eclipsing the previous best set by Barcelona (in 16 games) in 1999-2000

A great deal of that is owed to their formidable front three of Mohamed Salah (10), Roberto Firmino (10) and Sadio Mane (nine), now the highest scoring club trio in a single Champions League season after overtaking Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema, who scored 28 in 2013-14.

They are the fastest to 40 (12 matches) in a single campaign in the competition proper.

Watch highlights of the match below;