But a 2-0 draw could well be more than enough to keep Liverpool’s dream of winning four major trophies in a season alive. Unai Emery’s team still has 90 minutes left in Tuesday’s second game to save that tie and reach the Champions League final in Paris on May 28, but it would be against all logic and statistics to believe that Liverpool will succumb to what seems unthinkable Villarreal. fight back. – ESPN FC daily stream on ESPN + – Do not have ESPN? Get instant access “It’s 2-0 at half time [in the tie]”, Said Jurgen Klopp. “This is the best example of a score when you have to be fully alert. We need to be 100 percent in the right mood and play the second leg in exactly the same way we played the first. The score is good, but we did not succeed “. This tournament has definitely given us a lot of remarkable repetitions in recent years, including Liverpool who overturned the 3-0 deficit against Barcelona to win 4-0 in the rematch. If Villarreal manages to eliminate Klopp’s team at the Estadio de la Ceramica, it will be in the same shock league as that unforgettable night at Anfield in May 2019.
1 Relevant But Liverpool’s failure to translate their dominance into a win-win margin that reflects more on the game means that Villarreal, last season’s Europa League winners, still have a glimmer of hope in the second game. The “yellow submarine” has ended the European ambitions of Arsenal, Manchester United, Juventus and Bayern Munich in the last 12 months, so Liverpool will not take them lightly, but the reason why Klopp’s team was so commanding in game was precisely because Liverpool did not underestimate Villarreal. Juventus and Bayern both failed to recognize Villarreal’s risk in the counterattack and paid a heavy price, but Liverpool did not make such a mistake and their defensive concentration was as important as their attacking talent. By the end of the match, Liverpool had recorded 20 goal attempts compared to that of Villarreal. According to official UEFA statistics, Liverpool had 93 attacks (Villarreal managed only 15) and completed 645 passes compared to 182 of Emery’s team. In terms of possession, Liverpool enjoyed 68% in 90 minutes. Liverpool is one game away from closing in on the Champions League final. Catherine Ivill / Getty Images The fact that they won only 2-0 was a result of missed opportunities as well as the organization and the defensive discipline of Villarreal. In the first half, the Spanish team gave a masterclass relaxing the atmosphere, slowing down the game, wasting time and depriving Liverpool of the space to play at the usual breathtaking pace. Villarreal’s approach disappointed the home side and reassured the crowd – an achievement on its own at Anfield on a Champions League night – but there was always the feeling that the barrier would be broken if Liverpool continued to pour forward. It was all about managing the game and patience, which was made easier by the presence of Thiago Alcantara in the Liverpool midfield, with the former Barcelona and Bayern player ensuring that no one in the red shirt panicked. of Villarreal to drown the game. But as soon as Fambino conceded an offside goal in the 50th minute, it was clear that Liverpool were ready to fight with the gears to chase an opening goal, which came three minutes later when Jordan Henderson’s cross beat goalkeeper R after a repulse towards the goals. by Pervis Estupinan. The goal brought relief and more urgency, and Santio Mane doubled Liverpool’s lead two minutes later when he pushed the ball under Rowley after being released by Mohamed Salah. In the blink of an eye, Villarreal had turned from firmly committed to having to stick with its fingers. Andy Robertson then ruled out a goal for offside and Virgil van Dyke and Luis Diaz both came close to adding to the score, but Villarreal managed to lose by just two goals. This Liverpool team is too good to concede a two-goal lead in a Champions League semi-final, despite conceding a total of seven goals in Liverpool’s last two semi-final away games under Klopp, in 2018 and 2019. While Manchester City Premier League opponent must defend a one-goal lead against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu next Wednesday after their 4-3 victory in the first game, Liverpool’s challenge is nothing more than routine. Klopp will remind his players that night against Barcelona, when no one gave Liverpool a chance and will urge them to be wary that Villarreal will achieve its own miraculous return. “I looked at Villarreal and the way it was organized was a lesson for me,” Klopp said. “But we must not forget that we are good too. It will be difficult, but the best way to deal with the 2-0 lead is to ignore it and start again with 0-0.” For Villarreal and Emery, however, there is still contempt and belief that they can make a shock. “[Liverpool] “We will suffer more than tonight at Villarreal,” said Emery after the game. This may prove to be the case, but the reality is that Liverpool and their fans can start making plans for Paris.
