Liverpool are back in the Champions League. They've only been away for a year, of course, but it felt like an eternity for a club that has a special bond with the European Cup. They've made three finals between 2018 and 2022, even taking home the trophy in 2019 when the Reds overcame Tottenham in Madrid.
Divock Origi came off the bench to score the killer second goal in a 2-0 win at the Metropolitano - which just felt so fitting. The Belgian was the quintessential cult hero, Liverpool's modern-day David Fairclough, a reliable reserve always likely to make a major impact on the biggest of occasions, and when his team needed him most.
Consequently, when he left on a free transfer in the summer of 2022 to join AC Milan, he did so with the warmest of wishes from the Kop. He'd served Jurgen Klopp's great Liverpool side so well, but had understandably grown frustrated by a lack of game time. At 27 years of age, he rightly wanted to see if he could become a first-team regular away from Anfield.
However, Origi won't be in the Milan starting line up that Liverpool will face on their Champions League return on Tuesday. He won't even be on the bench. And not because he's suspended or injured; Origi is no longer even a member of Milan's senior squad. Just two years after arriving in Italy, Liverpool's beloved super-sub is rotting in the Rossoneri's reserves.
The Demise of a Liverpool Legend
Liverpool will not be reunited this week with Champions League hero Divock Origi when they travel to Italy to take on AC Milan. Origi remains a cult hero at Anfield, thanks in no small part to his goals in the run to European glory in 2019. He scored twice in the dramatic semi-final comeback victory over Barcelona before netting in the final as Jurgen Klopp's team beat Tottenham in Madrid.
The Belgian called time on his Liverpool career in 2022, joining AC Milan on a free transfer when his contract expired. Things haven't worked out too well for him at the San Siro, though, and he was allowed to spent last season on loan at Nottingham Forest. With Forest opting against a permanent swoop, Origi returned to Milan in time for them to be drawn against Liverpool in the Champions League. However, he's nowhere near the matchday squad as the teams do battle in Italy.
Milan legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned to the club as an advisor in 2024, and has had his say in some first-team affairs. He and Origi were briefly team-mates in the 2022-23 season, but that hasn't stopped the Swede banishing his old colleague to the reserves.
Zlatan's Harsh Verdict
After leaving Liverpool in 2022, Origi moved to Italy to join Milan, departing Anfield after scoring a number of important goals for then-boss Jurgen Klopp's side. He scored twice in the Reds' improbable comeback in the semi-finals against Barcelona, including the fourth goal that sent Liverpool through to the Champions League final on aggregate. However, his time at the San Siro has been nothing short of a disappointment. The Belgian has scored just two goals in 36 appearances for the Serie A side, and was loaned out last term to Nottingham Forest.
The striker managed just one goal in 22 appearances, with his lone strike coming in an FA Cup clash against Bristol City, which finished 1-1 with Forest going on to win the game on penalties.
A Career in Limbo
Origi's fall from grace has been a swift and brutal one. After being a key player for Liverpool in their Champions League triumph, he's now stuck in the AC Milan reserves. He's not even considered for the first team, let alone the starting XI. It's a shame for a player who was once so loved by the Liverpool fans, but it seems his time at the top is over for now.
The question now is what will happen to Origi. Will he be able to revive his career? Or will he be forced to fade into obscurity? Only time will tell, but it's a sad end to what was a promising career for a player who was once considered to be one of the best young strikers in the world.
