The curse of German teams at Anfield

The stadium on Anfield Road looks like just another, English football ground. Loated in the middle of a residential area it is red, intimate and loud. Since it was last renovated in 2015, it has a capacity of 54,000 (photo from 2005). The fan support in the stadium is strong, although they have experienced their fair share of heartbreaking defeats - but never at the hands of a German team.

The tunnel that the players walk through on their way to the pitch is narrow. For the Liverpool players, the sign above the door is as much a warning to their opponents as it is a good luck charm for them. They touch it with their hands just before they run out to the roar of the crowd. The atmosphere seems to have had a paralyzing effect on German teams.

The first attempt: In February, 1965, Cologne played Liverpool to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of the European Cup quarterfinal. After a goalless result in the second leg, Liverpool prevailed after a coin toss. In October 1971, Bayern also played Liverpool to a scoreless draw in the first leg of the Cup Winners' Cup last 16 (pictured), but the Bavarians prevailed in the second leg back in Munich.

In a fearless effort, Liverpool striker Kevin Keegan (center) dives over a sliding challenge from Mönchengladbach defender Berti Vogts (right) to give the Reds a 1-0 lead in the first leg of the 1973 UEFA Cup final. Liverpool won the game 3-0. The Foals again lost in Liverpool in the European Cup five years later. Is Anfield cursed?

In the 1972 UEFA Cup, East Germany's Dynamo Berlin fell behind 1-0 after just one minute in the second leg of the round of 16. But Berlin striker Wolf-Rüdiger Netz got an equalizer, the first goal scored by a German team at Anfield. However, Dynamo goalkeeper Werner Limsa (left) wound up having to pick the ball out of his net two more times. Another German defeat at Anfield.

In 1981, Bayern got another chance for a victory at Anfield, this time in the first leg of the European Cup semifinals. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Paul Breitner and Co. gave it their all, but they came up short again in a 0-0 draw. The second leg in Munich ended up 1-1, and Bayern missed out on the final.

Last chance squandered: Borussia Dortmund had the chance to reach the knockout stages of the 2001-02 Champions League with a win in Liverpool. Things were looking up for Dortmund as Tomas Rosicky had just rejoined the lineup. But there was no celebrating for Dortmund - as Dietmar Hamann (right) and his teammates won 2-0.

When Sami Hyypia (right) decided the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal for Liverpool with a header in April 2002, little did he know that he would go on to sign with his opponents, Bayer Leverkusen - first as a player in 2009 and then as a coach in 2013. Although it was another German defeat at Anfield, Leverkusen got all the way to the final, where they lost to Real Madrid.

Three years later, Bayer Leverkusen suffered a bigger defeat at Anfield. Liverpool took the Werkself apart, downing Leverkusen 3-1 in the first leg of the 2004-05 Champions League last 16. The Reds recorded another 3-1 result at the BayArena to advance en route to a Champions League title. Once again, a German team came up empty in Anfield.

A respectable showing for Augsburg in February 2016: As clear underdogs in the Europa League last 32, Augsburg - 13th in the Bundesliga at the time - played their first match at Anfield. After a surprising 0-0 draw in Augsburg, Liverpool got the goal that decided the tie. A good performance for Augsburg, but German teams' Anfield drought continued.

You can't get closer any than this: In the second leg of the 2015-16 Europa League quarterfinal, Dortmund had a 2-0 lead after nine minutes. Dortmund then took a 3-1 after 57 minutes, yet Liverpool still found a way to win. Goals from Coutinho and Mamadou Sakho leveled the score. Dejan Lovren's (third from right) goal in the 91st minute had ex-Dortmund coach Jürgen Klopp dancing on the touchline.

And this time? If Hoffenheim are to reach the Champions League group stage, they have to win in Liverpool. After a 2-1 loss at home last week, Hoffenheim's best chance will be to score twice in Anfield. Hoffenheim coach Julian Nagelsmann is not looking at the history: "We are going into the game with a lot of confidence, and we stronly believe we can [advance]," he has said.