LIVERPOOL, England – Don’t be fooled by the small difference in the result. Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Villarreal at Anfield was the most one-sided semi-final you will probably see and could and should have been much more for the six-time European champions.
But 2-0 may be more than enough to keep Liverpool dreaming of winning four big trophies in one season. Unai Emery’s team has another 90 minutes in the rematch next Tuesday to save this draw and reach the Champions League final in Paris on May 28, but it would be against any logic and statistical evidence to believe that Liverpool will succumb to what seems unthinkable Villarreal resist.
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“It’s 2-0 at half time [in the tie]”Jürgen Klopp said.” This is the best example of a result when you have to be fully alert. We will have to be 100 percent in the right mood and play the rematch in exactly the same way we played the first one. The result is good, but we are not done. “
This race has certainly given us many remarkable rematches in recent years, including Liverpool overcoming the 3-0 deficit against Barcelona and winning 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 league of shocks as that unforgettable night at Anfield in May 2019.
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But Liverpool’s failure to turn its dominance into a winning difference that better reflects the game means Villarreal, last season’s Europa League winner, still has a glimmer of hope in the return leg. The Yellow Submarine has put an end to 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 Klopp’s team commanded so much during the first game was precisely because Liverpool did not underestimate Villarreal.
Both Juventus and Bayern failed to recognize the danger of Villarreal in a counterattack and paid a high price, but Liverpool did not make such a mistake and their concentration in defense was as important as their attacking sense. By the end of the match Liverpool registered 20 goal attempts compared to that of Villarreal. According to official UEFA statistics, Liverpool had 93 attacks (Villarreal managed only 15) and finished 645 passes against 182 of Emery’s team. In terms of possession, Liverpool enjoyed 68% in the 90s.
Liverpool are one match away from retaining their place in the Champions League final. Catherine Iville / Getty Images
The fact that they won only 2-0 is due to missed chances, as well as the organization and discipline of Villarreal in defense. In the first half, the Spanish team gave a master class on unloading the atmosphere, slowing down the game, wasting time and depriving Liverpool of space to play at their usual breathtaking pace. Villarreal’s approach disappointed the hosts and reassured the crowd – an achievement in itself at Anfield in one night in the Champions League – but there was always the feeling that the dam would break if Liverpool continued to pour forward.
It was all about control of the game and patience, something that was facilitated by the presence of Thiago Alcantara in the Liverpool midfield, as the former Barcelona and Bayern player ensured that no one in a red shirt panicked at Villarreal’s attempts to stifle the game. But after Fabinho scored an offside goal in the 50th minute, it became clear that Liverpool was ready to race for the opening goal, which came three minutes later when Jordan Henderson’s cross defeated goalkeeper Jeronimo Rully. after being pushed back to the door. by Pervis Estupinan.
The goal brought relief and more urgency, and Sadio Mane doubled Liverpool’s lead two minutes later when he scored the ball under Ruli after being released by Mohamed Salah. In the blink of an eye, Villarreal moved from a tight tie to the need to grip with their fingertips. Andy Robertson was then sent off for offside, and Virgil van Dyke and Luis Diaz were close to adding the score, but Villarreal managed to lose by just two goals.
This Liverpool team is too good to give up a two-goal Champions League semi-final advantage, although it has conceded a total of seven goals in the last two semi-final matches as a guest of Liverpool under Klopp, in 2018 and 2019. While rivals from The Premier League Manchester City 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 of that night against Barcelona when no one gave Liverpool a chance, and will urge them to watch Villarreal achieve their own miraculous comeback.
“I looked at Villarreal and the way they were organized was a lesson for me,” said Klopp. “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 at 0-0.”
For Villarreal and Emery, however, there is still a challenge and a belief that they can cause shock.
“[Liverpool] will suffer more than tonight at Villarreal, “Emery said after the match.
That may be the case, but the reality is that Liverpool and their fans can start making plans for Paris.
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