Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has picked out their Europa League final defeat by Unai Emery's Sevilla six years ago as the start of 'something special'.
The midfielder was asked about the match ahead of Unai Emery facing Liverpool once again, this time with Villarreal, in the Champions League semi-finals.
The Reds were well beaten as they suffered a 3-1 defeat at the end of Jurgen Klopp's first season in charge, but Henderson revealed it's a night that 'sticks out' for the way his manager reacted and signalled the starting point for future success.
'Went back to my hotel room and wanted to get my head down but the gaffer had us all downstairs and we spent the night [as a squad] together,' he recalled in his press conference on Tuesday.
'He knew what was to come in the next few years. That always sticks out. Beginning of something special.'
'We'd just lost the Europa League final so it was difficult to see past that but that's why it stuck because the manager was different. He knew it was just the start and that translated to the players. That day always sticks out for me for sure.'
Three years after suffering heartbreak in Basle, Henderson had his hands on Europe's top prize as Klopp guided Liverpool to Champions League glory.
Twelve months later and the Reds ended their 30-year wait for a top-flight title by winning the Premier League in the 2019-20 season as Klopp brought back success to Anfield.
And Henderson said he sensed 'something special' was on the horizon when Klopp took charge in October 2015.
'I felt there was something special [happening] as soon as the manager come in. The whole lift he gave the club. But it's tough when you lose a European final but the manager saw the bigger picture.'
Liverpool are looking to claim their seventh European Cup this season and welcome Villarreal in the first leg of the last-four clash on Wednesday.
Klopp vowed not to underestimate the underdogs after they knocked out Juventus and Bayern Munich to get to this stage of the competition and his skipper affirmed that message.
'They're a very good team. They have beaten Juve and Bayern and have an experienced manager. So it's a really tough test as any CL semi would be,' he said.
'We'll have to be at our best.'
The Reds travel to Spain for the return leg next Tuesday, following their trip to Newcastle in the Premier League on Saturday.