Borussia Dortmund-Liverpool Europa League quarter final first leg (FT: 1 - 1) 2016

In a repeat of the last time Liverpool were guests of Borussia Dortmund back in 2001, tonight's meeting between the two sides ended all square. It was a compelling return for Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp, back at his old stomping ground and the German coach looked a picture of calm during the minutes prior to kick-off - an impressive and emotive warm-up to the game in which both sets of fans joined forces to belt out a lung-bursting rendition of 'You'll never walk alone' - an anthem considered the exclusive reserve of the Merseysiders although it has also been occasionally adopted by this evening's hosts.

After a tentative start at Signal Iduna Park, Divock Origi gave Liverpool a dream start by slotting low inside Weidenfeller's post in an isolated attack on 36 minutes. The visitors seemed to have the game pretty much under control but were caught dozing when the game resumed after the break. It was not much of a surprise that the equaliser came from a set-piece - Mats Hummels exposed poor marking in the Liverpool defence to get a free-header in at the back post to level the tie just two minutes after the restart. After that, the initial scrappiness returned but both sides mustered a handful of chances. Marco Reus curled a free-kick over the Liverpool wall but straight into the hands of Mignolet, while at the other end, Philippe Coutinho forced Weidenfeller down low to make a superb reflex save - the keeper recovering quickly to stop a futher two efforts from entering.

So it all hangs nicely in the balance for next week's decider at Anfield, where the atmosphere is sure to be just as electric as it was tonight.

Here's how it developed at Signal Iduna Park:

90' + 2' | FULL-TIME That's it. It ends 1-1 in Germany, a fair result and a positive one for Klopp's 'mannschaft' to take back to Anfield for next week's return.

90' + 1' | Liverpool fans hold their scarves aloft in defiance. One last attack, Moreno with the throw-in.

90' | The full 90 minutes are up. Mr Velasco Carballo makes it another 'dos minutos' of stoppage time.

Klopp introduces fresh legs with Firmino and Sturridge on for the last 10 minutes. Does he think Liverpool can snatch a late goal? The team seems happy to settle for a draw from where we're sat.

83' | SUBSTITUTION Origi goes off, Sturidge on for the last seven minutes

81' | BOOKING Papastathopoulos' name is scribbled down, rather the ref than us.

77' | SUBSTITUTION Aubameyang off, Pulisic on

76' | SUBSTITUTION Bender ambles off, on comes Sokratis in his place

71' | Liverpool continue to channel all of their attacks down either flank - mostly the right, but to no avail. Time for Klopp to make a change perhaps - Sturridge time?? Firmino?

65' | Dortmund persisting and Liverpool starting to look rash and over-anxious at the back, Lovren hacks the ball clear, but the Germans keep surging forward.

58' | Uyy! Reus curled a free-kick from just outside the 'D' - but Mignolet smothers the ball comfortably.

52' | BOOKING Reus, the second player from the hosts to see yellow.

51' | Three superb saves in quick succession from Weidenfeller. That Hummels equaliser appears to have riled the Reds.

47' | Gooaal!!! Dortmund level! Mats Hummels outleaps the Reds' defence to nod in at the back post! 1-1! Liverpool's vulnerability from set-pieces all too evident again...

45' | Second half is underway.

Out come the teams for the second half. One substitution from either side during the break - Joe Allen comes on for Jordan Henderson, and former Real Madrid man (and one-time Liverpool loanee) Nuri Sahin replaces Durm.

Herr Klopp will be more than happy with that first-half performance from The Reds. Lovren and Sakho, keeping Aubameyang, Reus and Co. in check so far, have been superb.

45' + 4' | BOOKING Weidenfeller shown a yellow card for dissent.

45' + 4' | Uff!!! Origi is clean through and makes a beeline for goal - Weidenfeller races out to block.

45' | Four (Vier) minutes stoppage time added on.

44' | BOOKING Lallana joins Can in Señor Velasco Carballo's notebook.

40' | Milner's down getting the magic sponge. Liverpool fans still singing their heads off.

36' | The travelling Liverpool supporters are going wild, they're still celebrating.

36' | Goooaaal!!!!! Origi - boom!! 0-1

33' | Mkhitaryan tries his luck from outside the area but just slips as he makes contact. Ball trickles wide of Mignolet's left-hand post.

31' | Aubameyang clean through on goal but there's Sakho who cooly puts the ball out for a corner.

28' | 'Tarzan' Weidenfeller fearlessly races out to punch clear. 0-0

28' | Corner to Liverpool. Milner to take.

27' | Liverpool advance again - bit wasteful.

24' | Not sure how many teeth Weidenfeller spat out after that. Seems to be ok now.

20' | Uyy!! Liverpool's first approach, Lovren meets Milner's free-kick inside the box but clatters into Weidenfeller who is down and receiving treatment. He was offside anyway...

18' | Sakho blocking everything in the Liverpool box - two good chances from the hosts. Still 0-0

14' | Ball ploughed into a congested box and is knocked out to Reus, whose low. tame effort skids wide.

14' |  Free-kick to Dortmund about 30 yards out on the right.

8' | BOOKING First yellow card goes to Emre Can, for a body check on Mkhitaryan.

7' | Deep ball up to Origi, no problem for the Dortmund defence. Liverpool may need a Plan B other than the direct route against this Dortmund side.

5' | Mignolet shows off some fancy footwork to outfox the incoming Aubameyang from a back-pass. Pretty patchy first five minutes from both sides with possession being lost and gained.

And we're off!

Spanish ref Carlos Velasco Carballo in charge of proceding this evening, with Spanish line officials Roberto Alonso and Juan Yuste.

Dortmund in their traditional yellow and black, Liverpool, their classic all-red strip.

Out come the teams...

Spine-tingling 'hairs-on-end moment' as both sets of fans belt out 'You'll never walk alone'. What an atmosphere! - what European nights are all about.

As for the respective dug-outs, here's how the subs' benches are looking:

Borussia Dortmund (bench): Bürki, Sahin, Ginter, Leitner, Pulisic, Sokratis, Kagawa

Liverpool (bench): Ward, Toure, Smith, Allen, Ibe, Firmino, Sturridge

The team's are in:

Borussia Dortmund XI: Weidenfeller, Piszczek, Bender, Hummels, Schmelzer, Castro, Weigl, Durm, Mkhitaryan, Reus, Aubameyang

Liverpool XI: Mignolet; Clyne, Lovren, Sakho, Alberto Moreno; Henderson, Can, Milner, Lallana; Countinho and Origi

Welcome to tonight's quarter final first leg tie between Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool from the Westfalenstadion. In less than a week, we at AS have brought you El Clásico, El Cashico and even El Cricketo, so tonight we're happy to bring you El Kloppico. Liverpool's manager, Jürgen Klopp, brought great success to the German club before departing late 2015 for Merseyside, and is likely to be given a warm reception ahead of kick-off. Then we'll be down to business.

The home team's new manager, Thomas Tuchel, has tweaked the way Dortmund are playing and there has been more focus on possession. In saying that, the team from North Rhine-Westphalia have players that can break fast and with dynamism - just ask Tottenham Hotspur. The Premier League title challengers were blown away by the Bundesliga side in the last round. Real Madrid target Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the biggest threat after scoring 37 goals in 39 games this season. Behind him Marco Reus will need to be kept quiet to reduce the danger. If reports are to believed, come next year he may be swapping the black and yellow for the red of his opponents. In midfield we expect to see Nuri Sahin who spent a disappointing five month loan period with Liverpool. Does he have something to prove?

Liverpool come in to this match after the international break with an almost fully fit squad to choose from. A noticeable absentee is Cristian Benteke, although these days he is far from first choice. Sturridge will almost certainly lead the line and should be supported by a combination  of either Firmino or Lallana along with the genius of Philippe Coutinho. With the defence expecting a busy night, fans will be pleased to see Lovren and Sakho side-by-side. Both players had a difficult start to their Merseyside careers but in recent times have forged a strong partnership.

The man in the middle of the action tonight, Carlos Velasco Carballo, comes from Madrid, and was in charge of the 2011 Europa League final in Dublin. He also refereed the first leg of Liverpool's last round match against Manchester United in which the Reds ran out comfortable 2-0 winners. Let's see what happens tonight...but here's how the book-makers have it:

Dortmund - 1.6          Draw - 4.2          Liverpool - 5.25

Signal Iduna Park