VIDEO: Liverpool Team Return to Heroes' Welcome After Reaching First UCL Final in Over a Decade

The Liverpool players and coaching staff came home to a hero's welcome on Thursday after securing the club's first showing in a Champions League final for over a decade by seeing off AS Roma 7-6 on aggregate in the semi-finals. 

Taking a 5-2 lead to the Stadio Olimpico in midweek, the Reds looked to have all but finished the job; something which seemed an even further foregone conclusion when Sadio Mane grabbed Jurgen Klopp's men an all-important away goal inside the opening 10 minutes. 

And despite a comical James Milner own-goal, Georginio Wijnaldum's first strike away from Merseyside since joining the club from Newcastle United in 2016 catalysed party scenes in the away end; with the travelling army knowing only a collapse of unprecedented proportions would stop them coming up against either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in Kiev. 

However, nerves were tested as Edin Dzeko pulled one back for the Italians before Radja Nainggolan's brace put just one goal between the two sides on the aggregate scoreline. 

But Liverpool were able to hold on and became the first English side since Chelsea won the competition in 2012 to reach a Champions League final, albeit against European Cup royalty Real Madrid who are eyeing their third trophy in succession. 

But with their Premier League top four status all but sewn up for next year and a chance to dethrone Zinedine Zidane's Los Blancos in the offing, the Reds deserve their plaudits, which is exactly what was on offer when they arrived back from Rome on Thursday. 

(You may also like: FanView: Why Neither of This Year's UCL Finalists Deserves to Be There & Why They Shouldn't Care)

The video posted online via LFC Podcasting Couch shows the players, led by manager Klopp, funnelling into a swanky hotel with grins stretching from ear to ear before embracing their family, friends and club staff. 

Not many would have foreseen Liverpool reaching this year's Champions League final ahead of their play-off bout with Hoffenheim in August, but the opportunity to claim the club's sixth European Cup trophy on May 26 is definitely something deserved of congratulations. 

Not many would have foreseen Liverpool reaching this year's Champions League final ahead of their play-off bout with Hoffenheim in August, but the opportunity to claim the club's sixth European Cup trophy on May 26 is definitely something deserved of congratulations.