Liverpool reaches final
VILLARREAL, Spain - Liverpool survived a first-half scare to reach the Champions League final with a 3-2 win at Villarreal on Tuesday, for a 5-2 aggregate victory, after the night had threatened to turn sour for Juergen Klopp’s side.
The visitors fell 2-0 down with an insipid first-half performance before fighting back with three goals in a 12-minute spell after the break to advance to their third European Cup final in five seasons.
The Premier League side had won 2-0 in England but looked in danger of coming unstuck on a rain-soaked pitch in Spain, as the hosts pegged them back with goals from Boulaye Dia and
Francis Coquelin.
Liverpool, however, came out transformed after halftime and goals from Fabinho, Luis Diaz and Sadio Mane sealed the deal, with Villarreal ending the match with 10 men following a late red card for Etienne Capoue.
Klopp’s side will meet either Real Madrid or Manchester City, who contest the second leg of their semifinal on Wednesday, in the showpiece in Paris on May 28. City lead 4-3 from the first leg.
“The early goal didn’t help us, it helped them massively, so we had to dig deep, we had to be very mature. And obviously second half, we played outstanding,” Liverpool centre back Virgil van Dijk said, adding that Klopp had given them clear instructions at halftime.
“(We needed to) play football, play the Liverpool way, as we have been playing basically all season. Get on the ball, have a lot of movement on the ball but also behind the last line, they play a high line, so with the speed we have, we have to mix that up as well,” he said.
Liverpool’s Thiago Alcantara in action during the Champions League semifinal second leg against Villarreal.