Reports in England say Liverpool supporters set off fireworks outside Barcelona’s team hotel ahead of their Champions League semi-final clash on Tuesday night.

The Reds face a mammoth task to overturn a 3-0 deficit after suffering a heavy defeat in the Nou Camp last week, but it appears fans have taken matters into their own hands to help find any possible advantage.

A video has emerged on social media of fans setting off fireworks opposite the Hilton hotel in Liverpool city centre last night.

According to the Daily Mail, the fireworks were set off outside the hotel building at Chavasse Park shortly after 4am, and one fan can be heard describing the noise as ‘a wake up call for Mr Messi’.

Another image from the same social media account appeared to show the fireworks in the back of a car before they were set off.

Barcelona are staying at the four-star Hilton, which sits directly opposite Albert Dock on the river Mersey.

Merseyside police confirmed it is illegal to set off fireworks in a public place and between 11pm and 7am – except for certain nights during the year.

A statement from Merseyside Police read: ‘We can confirm a report was received of fireworks being set off at Chavasse Park in Liverpool city centre shortly after 4am today (Tuesday 7 May 2019).

‘It is against the law to carry or use adult fireworks if you are under 18, and illegal for people of any age to let off or throw a firework in a public place.’

Barcelona have brought with them a huge travelling entourage of 160 people, all of whom are unlikely to have had a comfortable night’s sleep.

Reds fans are not the only semi-finalists adopt underhand tactics to gain an advantage in the Champions League this season; Ajax fans have set off pyrotechnics outside their opponents’ hotels in both the round of 16 and the quarter finals in Amsterdam.

Those stunts appeared to pay off as the Dutch high-flyers went on to knock out heavyweights Real Madrid and Juventus to reach the last four.

Liverpool will need a miracle on a par with their win over AC Milan in the 2005 Istanbul final if they hope to progress to this year’s showpiece event in Madrid.