Mark Lawrenson
Former Liverpool defender on BBC Radio 5 live

"I think Daniel Sturridge's future is probably in a little state of flux. There is no argument about Sturridge the player,he is wonderfully gifted but he has massive injury problems. If you are a manager and have a really good striker, that's great but if he is continuously injured then he is not a great striker. I think Jurgen Klopp will be looking at that."

Image source, Getty Images

We are about 15 minutes away from kick-off.

This has been a significant week for Liverpool and the club's fans, with an inquest concluding that 96 football fans who died as a result of a crush in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster were unlawfully killed.

Villarreal are planning to remember victims by unfurling a banner just before the match gets under way with the words ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ and the number 96 on in remembrance of the victims, all in the Villarreal colours. 

I say 'Djimi Traore'...you say 'THAT own goal'! Despite being roundly mocked during his time at the Reds for clumsily backheeling into his own net back in 2005, it seems the Malian has not lost any love for his old team.

Now assistant coach at Seattle Sounders, the former full-back shows off his colours alongside one of his workmates. Whose signature is scrawled on Djimi's chest? Stevie G's??

Image source, EPA

There's been a a few other bits of Liverpool-related news today.

Defender Mamadou Sakho has been suspended for 30 days by Uefa after it opened disciplinary proceedings against him following a failed drugs test.

Meanwhile, the Reds have been told by a tribunal they must pay Burnley up to £8m for striker Danny Ings.

Image source, Getty Images

There'll be no Mats Hummels-Jurgen Klopp reunion at Liverpool any time soon.

The Borussia Dortmund captain, rumoured to have been interesting the Reds, has told his club he wants to join Bayern Munich in the summer.

If he goes, that'll be Hummels, Robert Lewandowski and Mario Gotze making the move from Dortmund to Bayern in the last three years.

Feeder club?

Image source, Get

Tonight's other semi-final sees defending champions Sevilla take on  Shakhtar Donetsk.

The Spanish side, winners in 2014 and 2015, like Shakhtar entered this year's competition after being knocked out at the Champions League group stage.

The match will be staged in Lviv, where Shakhtar have had to play home games. They have been unable to play in their home ground in Donetsk due to the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine.

You know I said there was a massive Yellow Submarine being paraded through Vila-real? Well, here it is.

Image source, PA

Image source, Daily Mail/Twitter

This, apparently, is Jurgen Klopp's bookshelf in his Melwood office., external If it is then it provides quite a fascinating insight into the mind of the man.

Stand out items are the golden gnomes, comedy glasses and a dictionary, which apparently is a Secret Santa present from Nathaniel Clyne.

I've also just noticed that mysterious black box in the middle. I wonder what he keeps in that?

Image source, Getty Images

Jurgen Klopp has clearly picked up a fair amount of the Liverpool lingo in his sixth months in Merseyside.

Asked recently about how important the fans have been during the Europa League, he said: "We need each voice in this tournament.

"If everybody in the stadium is 'givin’ it bifters' then for sure it is easier for the team."

Givin it bifters. Have we now reached peak Klopp?

Having overcome Borussia Dortmund in the previous round, Liverpool might think they are in for a much easier ride against Villarreal.

Given that the Spanish side have lost two of their previous three games that may be true, but they certainly have the quality to hurt the Reds if they underestimate them. As well as Cedric Bakambu, they also have Bruno to pull the strings in midfield. 

"We must be prepared for our best game," said Jurgen Klopp. "This is the highest level of football that Villarreal show each week. Unbelievably strong,"

Image source, PA

Expect this chap to be a thorn in the Liverpool side tonight.

Cedric Bakambu, who boasts an impressive record of nine goals in 11 Europa League games, is quick. Like, extraordinarily quick. 

The 25-year-old is always looking to make intelligent runs to get behind a defence and him up against Kolo Toure could make for a fascinating - or frightening - watch over the 90 minutes.

A familiar name starts up top for Villarreal - £26m Spurs flop Roberto Soldado. And there could also be a glimpse to both the past and the future for Manchester City fans...

Spain Under-21 attacking midfielder Denis Suarez, who left the Blues for Barcelona as a teenager, and Ivory Coast defender Eric Bailly - rumoured to be the first name on Pep Guardiola's shopping list - both start.

Villarreal XI: Asenjo, Mario, Bailly, Ruiz, Costa, Dos Santos, Bruno, Pina, Suarez, Soldado, Bakambu.

Image source, Villarreal/Twitter

The only time Liverpool have played Villarreal is in a friendly back in 2008. That game, played at tonight's venue El Madrigal, ended goalless.

The Spanish team were in Liverpool last summer to play Everton during their pre-season tour. 

Naturally the players popped into the Cavern Club for a couple of snaps from where it all began for the Beatles.