First scared, then spectacular
Liverpool countered Villarreal’s final dream with goals
05/03/2022, 10:50 p.m
Jürgen Klopp continues to write the great success story of Liverpool FC even after his contract extension: The Premier League club moves into the final of the Champions League against Bayern Munich fright Villarreal. But the duel went differently than expected for a long time.
Jürgen Klopp is reaching for the handle pot again with Liverpool FC! But that required hard work in the second leg of the Champions League on Tuesday evening at Bayern’s conqueror FC Villarreal. In a highly entertaining football game, the Reds came from a 2-0 deficit to a 3-2 (0-2), which after the 2-0 in the first leg was easily enough in the end to keep the dream of four titles alive this season keep. In the final on May 28 in Paris, either Manchester City or Real Madrid await the premier class winner of 2019.
“Cool, I’m really happy,” said Klopp on Amazon Prime Video, while also praising the Spaniards. “They really got going and really bought our guts. We didn’t get into the game.” It only worked after changes during the break. “Then we thought, let’s give it a try while we’re there,” said Klopp in a good mood.
Boulaye Dia (3′) and Francis Coquelin (41′) scored for Villarreal, who had knocked Bayern out of the competition in the quarter-finals. Goals from Fabinho (62′), Luis Díaz (67′) and Sadio Mané (75′) secured Liverpool their ticket to the final. The former Bundesliga coach Klopp and Co. have further title chances in the championship and in the FA Cup, the Reds have already won the League Cup this year.
Blitztor stresses Liverpool
In the Estadio de la Cerámica there was an exhilarating premier class atmosphere – and it got better and better in the early stages. Dia rewarded Villarreal’s very committed start early on after Étienne Capoue deliberately crossed a cross. Liverpool seemed taken by surprise. Klopp coached energetically with his jacket open on the sidelines after falling behind, but seemed visibly dissatisfied.
The “further chapter of the club’s history”, as Trent Alexander-Arnold had described the possible entry into the final, was suddenly no longer as close as the 2-0 in the first leg had suggested. Villarreal manager Unai Emery seemed to have set his team up a lot better than a week ago. Daniel Parejo’s shot went just wide of the target (12′). Former Leipziger Naby Keita (14th) made the first dangerous attempt for Liverpool.
In the end, great quality wins
But the hosts remained the better team. Klopp, who had to do without Roberto Firmino (foot injury), saw how his team continued to have big problems in attack. Villarreal was largely safe at the back – and kept appearing dangerously in front of the Liverpool penalty area. After Reds goalkeeper Alisson Becker had just saved against Giovani Lo Celso (37th), Coquelin was successful with a header before the break. “They played a very good first half,” Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold told BT Sport. “We changed our minds at half-time, grabbed the chance and did what we had to do.”
Klopp brought on Díaz for Diogo Jota, Liverpool started the second half more offensively. The game was now more like the first leg, as Liverpool clearly dominated. The Klopp team repeatedly shifted the game to the outside players, Alexander-Arnold hit the crossbar with a clearly deflected shot (55th). Fabinho broke through the Spanish defense with a powerful right foot shot through the legs of Villarreal goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli. Díaz then restored the reassuring lead from the first leg before Mané allayed any doubts about Liverpool’s progress. Villarreal’s Capoue was sent off in the closing stages with yellow-red (86′).