On This Day: Messi's iconic Clasico moment, Gerrard's infamous slip and Liverpool seal title

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Martin Macdonald | Author

More than a few legendary moments took place on 27 April in football history.

A bittersweet day for Liverpool fans as there was glory as well as one of the most famous on-pitch mistakes ever in the Premier League.

Also, we have Lionel Messi doing Lionel Messi things on the biggest stage.

Messi's iconic Bernabeu goal

Often joked that Sergio Busquets' assist is one of the most undeserved of all time, the Spaniard plays the ball less than a yard to Messi, who turns round with the majority of the Madrid midfield and defence between him and the goal.

He embarks on a slaloming run, leaving defender after defender for dead before slotting a strike into the corner with his weaker right foot.

C'était un 2⃣7⃣ avril, en 2011... #UCL #LdC #Messi 😱💪 pic.twitter.com/snnQeGLIqs

— L'UEFA en français (@UEFAcom_fr) April 27, 2020

The Argentine left Lassana Diarra, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo and Alvaro Arbeloa looking rather silly with the pace, power and close-control of his dribble, while the finish is expertly dispatched.

All of this took place in a Champions League semi-final, no less, and Barcelona would go on to win the competition after defeating Manchester United in the final.

It's one of the most iconic Clasico goals in history and the kind that left the Madrid players wondering exactly what they needed to do to stop this guy.

The slip heard around the world

Liverpool were poised to win their first Premier League title in 2013/14 as Brendan Rodgers' effervescent Reds side led the table heading into the final flurry of matches that season.

Going into a crunch fixture against Chelsea at Anfield, Liverpool were on a 16-match unbeaten run that had them dreaming of glory, but fate would prove to be a cruel mistress on 27 April 2014.

Jose Mourinho's Blues were the opponent and the Portuguese boss played mindgames pre-match, suggesting he could field a weakened team due to Champions League commitments the following midweek.

He didn't, but he did look to stifle proceedings in typical Mourinho fashion as Chelsea sat behind the ball for the majority of the game, looking to break on the counter.

With the home side in control in terms of possession, Chelsea were gifted a lead to hold on to after Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard received a routine backwards pass from team-mate Mamadou Sakho.

Gerrard excruciatingly slipped, allowing Demba Ba to run through on score.

With Rodgers' side pressing hard for an equaliser, Chelsea broke again and scored on the counter through William to make it 2-0.

The title was no longer in Liverpool's hands and Man City obliged to the opportunity and went on to win it, while Mourinho was quick to rub salt in the wounds with his celebrations on the pitch an Anfield.

Liverpool seal the title

Not to worry, Liverpool fans, you would go on to win the Premier League on two occasions after that famous 2013/14 collapse.

The first came under Jurgen Klopp and the second under Arne Slot was sealed on this day in 2025.

They had been the best team in the league all season and the title was coming. It was ultimately sealed after an impressive 5-1 victory at home to Tottenham with strikes form Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah and a Destiny Udogie own goal sealing the championship.

This one was more special than the 2020 win for two reasons:

1. Liverpool fans were present for the win, as the previous victory came during the Covid pandemic.

2. It allowed them to equal Man Utd's record of 20 top-flight titles.

Best assist in Premier League history?

We already have one incredible dribble on our list, but this one is arguably more impressive.

With Newcastle away facing Everton, Alexander Isak collects the ball down the left wing and goes on a stop-start run down the left-hand side.

Everton players surround him and he checks back a couple of times before taking things up a notch.

📅 On this day, three years ago, Alexander Isak did this for Newcastle. 👀

One of the craziest dribbles in Premier League history. 🥵

Do you think we'll see this version of Isak at Liverpool? pic.twitter.com/jZNJRWVowe

— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Footballtweet) April 27, 2026

At one point, there is FIVE opposition players in his vicinity as he takes the ball to the byline and swivels backwards, taking one out, before dancing into the penalty area close to the goal.

Unselfishly, he pops a pass to the back post for Jacob Murphy to score the easiest goal of his career.

Remarkably, Isak wasn't even awarded the assist as his pass took a small deflection off the defender, and Newcastle fans were so outraged they even started a government petition to get him officially given the assist!