Liverpool target in bizarre incident as Champions League tie ends in chaos with THREE red cards

Atalanta completed a remarkable Champions League comeback against Borussia Dortmund, with three dismissals and a stoppage-time penalty winner capping a chaotic finale on Wednesday

Nico Schlotterbeck was one of three players sent off in the dying stages of Atalanta vs Borussia Dortmund(Image: Getty Images)

The Champions League encounter between Atalanta and Borussia Dortmund erupted into chaos during the dying moments on Wednesday. Dortmund had carried a two-goal cushion into the second leg in Bergamo, but the Serie A side rallied to draw level on aggregate by the interval.

The hosts maintained their impetus after the restart, with Mario Pasalic striking a third goal of the night for Atalanta. It placed them within touching distance of a remarkable turnaround, with Atalanta having never before overturned a two-goal deficit heading into a second leg in UEFA competition.

However, their jubilation was temporarily halted when Karim Adeyemi bent home an elegant strike from the edge of the area to restore parity on aggregate, with the contest appearing destined for extra time. Yet drama soon unfolded at the New Balance Arena.

Deep into injury time, the home side was granted a spot-kick following a VAR review. Ramy Bensebaini caught Nikola Krstovic on the head inside the box with a careless high boot as the Atalanta striker attempted to connect with a cross following an error by visiting goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.

Krstovic was left with blood streaming from his head, whilst Bensebaini was brandished a second yellow card for the infringement.

Liverpool-linked Nico Schlotterbeck was then shown a red card despite being amongst the Dortmund substitutes for his response to the penalty decision, whilst Atalanta defender Giorgio Scalvini was also dismissed, despite having been substituted around 20 minutes earlier, reports the Mirror.

Borussia Dortmund's Ramy Bensebaini fouls Atalanta's Nikola Krstovic during the Champions League clash(Image: (PIERO CRUCIATTI / AFP via Getty Images))

The drama wasn't over yet, as Lazar Samardzic fired his penalty beyond Gregor Kobel to propel his team into the last-16 with the final kick of the game. The Italian outfit will now meet either Arsenal or Bayern Munich.

Responding to the excitement, ex-Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock remarked: "What a penalty that was, and what a comeback by Atalanta."

He added: "Atalanta had to come out and do something tonight, being 2-0 down from last week. So they have attacked it, and got their reward.

"But then Dortmund boss Niko Kovak has made changes, he has been brave - even though he has gone three goals down tonight, he knew they only had to nick a goal to get back in the tie.

"It was a game full of mistakes - including the one that led to the late penalty that settled it."

Atalanta will go into the last-16 draw on Friday, when Liverpool is set to discover its opponents in the next stage of the competition, as well as its potential path to the final.