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4:44
Liverpool qualified for the Champions League final
This Tuesday the second leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinal took place at the Estadio de la Cerámica between Villarreal and Liverpool. In the first leg, Klopp's men beat the 'yellow submarine' 2-0 and everything indicated that this meeting would be a formality, but the story was different.
The first 45 minutes were Villarreal's best in the entire tie. It should be noted that Unai Emery's men beat Atalanta in Italy to qualify for the final round, eliminated Juventus in the round of 16, Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals and at the end of this first half, the goal of reaching the final was done. closer and closer.
The game began with a goal at minute 3 by Boulaye Dia that made the Spanish fans dream and that placed the home team just one goal away from equalizing. Coquelin entered from the right sector of the area and taking a shot, it was more a pass to the Franco-Senegalese player who sent the ball into the back of the net to make it 1-0.
Liverpool, disconcerted by the early goal, tried to gain control of the ball, but the locals had possession of the ball and initiatives in attack. At minute 11, Parejo took a shot from the edge of the area that went wide of the right post.
At minute 14, the 'Reds' responded through Thiago Alcántara who took a shot from the edge of the area and the ball went away after grazing the crossbar. A minute later, they send a cross into the visiting area and Gerard Moreno shoots, but the ball hits a defender avoiding the second.
From that moment on, the game was characterized by inaccuracies and offsides by both teams. The minutes went by and Villarreal continued to arrive with more danger. At 37', there is a pass between the lines that leaves Lo Celso hand in hand with Alisson and the goalkeeper shoots him down when the Argentine tried to dribble past him.
The referee reviews the VAR, but after verifying, no penalty is called and the game continued with the same score. However, at 40', Capoue sends a cross into the area that Coquelín heads unmarked, placing it in the corner. 2-0 and Villarreal tied the tie.
With that marker they would go to rest and Klopp, starting the second half, took out Diogo Jota to put in the Colombian Luis Díaz. At 47' the newly admitted player attempted a counterattack for his team, but Albiol stopped the initiative.
A minute later there was a foul for Liverpool near the edge of the area. Alexander-Arnold placed it for Mané to finish off, but the Senegalese only managed to touch it and the ball went down the last line. The English continued with the initiative in attack and Villarreal defended as best they could.
At 55' another attack by the visitors and this time through Alexander-Arnold, who took another shot from the edge of the area and hit a defender and the ball deflected, then hit the crossbar and went.
However, at 62' Fabinho enters the area defended by Rulli from the right sector and takes a centered shot that goes through the center of the 'yellow submarine' goalkeeper's legs and thus makes it 2-1. The 'Reds' were once again placed at the top of the global scoreboard.
Liverpool had Villarreal cornered and the one who generated the most danger was the Colombian Luis Díaz who had another chance at 66'. He receives a pass on the far left, decides to enter the area, dribbling past two defenders and taking a shot that hits another defender and goes wide, causing a corner.
But a minute later, Alexander-Arnold returns another ball into the area so that Luis Díaz, through the penalty spot, heads and crosses a ball that the goalkeeper could not deflect. 2-2 (2-4 on aggregate) on the scoreboard. The distance was wide and time is running out for those at home.
Liverpool would sentence the match with their last goal in the 74th minute. The play came with a pass that appealed to Mané's speed, which was hand in hand with the goalkeeper. Rulli would leave the area to avoid the dangerous action, but the Senegalese would dribble him, as well as Foyth and ends up defining an empty goal to convert the final 2-3.
Parejo would try to equalize the score at minute 78, when he took a cross that no one could touch and the ball went off grazing the right post of the goal. At 86', Capoue sees the second yellow card and is expelled for committing a foul. Villarreal was left with ten players on the pitch.
In this way, Liverpool manages to qualify for the final again. For sure, he will seek revenge if the 'merengue' team manages to qualify this Wednesday. There can also be another final between the 'Citizens' and the 'Reds' like the one in the 2017-2018 Champions League when Klopp's men beat Guardiola's men with a final score of 1-2.
This Wednesday will be the second leg of the semifinal between Real Madrid and Manchester City, whose first leg ended with a score of 4-3 in favor of the English. The Santiago Bernabéu will host this great match that will surely appeal to another comeback for the 'merengues' as against PSG and Chelsea in the round of 16 and quarter-finals respectively.
