Liverpool can continue to dream of winning the Champions League for the third time after 2005 and 2019. The “Reds” lived up to their role as favorites in a duel with Villarreal in the semi-finals, after the first leg 2-0, a 3-2 in the Estadio de la Ceramica on Tuesday evening brought the ultimately deserved promotion. The opponent in the final on May 28 at the Stade de France in Paris will be determined on Wednesday (9 p.m.) between Real Madrid (without the injured ÖFB team captain David Alaba) and Manchester City (first leg 3: 4).
Villarreal reacted as intended before the break, attacking in comparison to the defeat at Anfield and being saved by goals from Boulaye Dia (3′), who scored for the first time in the ‘premier class’, and Francis Coquelin (41′). rewarded. The 2-0 deficit from the first leg was made up after 41 minutes and a sensation was in the air.
Jürgen Klopp’s cabin sermon did not seem to have failed. The traditional English club came back onto the field much more actively and ambitiously and still turned the game around. Fabinho (62′), Luis Diaz (67′) and Sadio Mane (74′) completed the turnaround within twelve minutes. Villarreal goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli missed two goals.
With the surprisingly recovered Gerard Moreno, Villarreal had implemented the announcement of a significantly different appearance than six days ago at the stadium on Anfield Road (0: 2) from the start. The reward followed in the form of a dream start. Etienne Capoue was able to put an Estupinan cross straight in the middle, where Dia completed from five meters. The Spaniards had more of the game afterwards, were extremely aggressive, won more second balls and thus pressed on goal number two.
The home side were unlucky in the 37th minute when Giovani Lo Celso collided in the penalty area with Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker. Nevertheless, they were able to add a little later and again Capoue shone as an assistant. After a cross from the 33-year-old Frenchman, Coquelin climbed the highest and headed in from six meters.
Flipped the switch
After the restart, the guests were unrecognizable and remembered their best times. A deflected long-range shot by Trent Alexander-Arnold ended up over the top of the bar (55′). Two minutes later, Luis Diaz missed a volley from a Mane cross. The goal was only postponed for a short time – thanks to the active help of Rulli. Fabinho fired in from a tight angle through the Villarreal goalkeeper’s legs into the near corner.
A minute after a deflected shot landed on the outside bar, Luis Diaz completed Liverpool’s double. The 25-year-old Colombian was successful with a header, Rulli was no longer able to defend decisively. Before the third goal, Villarreal’s goalie missed the ball well in front of his goal in a duel with the lightning-fast Mane, the ex-Salzburg player also left a defender and hit the empty goal.
As a result, Villarreal only came close to equalizing from a Parejo free-kick (77th). However, the fourth goal of the guests was more in the air. That also because Capoue was sent off the field with the traffic light card in the 85th minute. Liverpool, who kept a chance of reaching the historic quadruple, are in the final of the most important European Cup competition for the third time in the last five years.
For the Spanish Europa League winner, on the other hand, after the surprise successes against Juventus Turin and Bayern Munich, it was the end of the line in the semifinals.
Source: Nachrichten
