Summary

  • Liverpool beat Villarreal 5-2 on aggregate to reach Champions League final

  • Reds' third Champions League final under Klopp

  • Liverpool will face Man City or Real Madrid in final on 28 May in Paris

  • Their hopes of unprecedented quadruple still on track

  • Villarreal fought back from 2-0 first-leg deficit to level tie

  • Dia scored early in second leg, Coquelin headed in second

  • Fabinho restored Liverpool's lead in tie with powerful drive

  • Diaz header and Mane strike earned Liverpool second-leg victory

  • Capoue sent of late on for two yellow cards

  1. Big blowpublished at 18:54 British Summer Time 3 May 2022

    Villarreal v Liverpool (20:00 BST)

    To illustrate how important, Arnaut Danjuma is for Villarreal, he has been directly involved in seven goals in the Champions League this season (six goals, one assist).

    The last Dutch player to contribute more in a single campaign in the competition was Arjen Robben in 2013-14 (4 goals, 4 assists), while playing for Bayern Munich.

    Danjuma has 16 goals in total for the Yellow Submarine this season.

  2. Team news - Keita and Jota start for the Redspublished at 18:50 British Summer Time 3 May 2022

    Villarreal v Liverpool (20:00 BST)

    VillarrealImage source, .

    Villarreal make two changes from the 11 that began the 2-0 loss at Anfield and both changes come up front with Gerard Moreno and Boulaye Dia replacing Arnaut Danjuma and Samuel Chukwueze.

    Villarreal XI: Rulli, Estupinan, Torres, Albiol, Foyth, Coquelin, Capoue, Parejo, Lo Celso, Moreno, Dia.

    Subs: Asenjo, Jorgensen, Gaspar, Mandi, Aurier, Iborra, Trigueros, Pedraza, Alcacer, Chukwueze, Pena, Gomez.

    LiverpoolImage source, .

    Liverpool also change two of their starting line-up from the first leg with Naby Keita replacing club captain Jordan Henderson in the midfield and Diogo Jota coming in for Luis Diaz up front.

    Liverpool XI: Alisson, Robertson, Van Dijk, Konate, Alexander-Arnold, Thiago, Fabinho, Keita, Jota, Mane, Salah.

    Subs: Kelleher, Gomez, Matip, Tsimikas, Milner, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Elliott, Minamino, Diaz, Origi.

  3. 'This is football so anything can happen'published at 18:47 British Summer Time 3 May 2022

    Villarreal v Liverpool (20:00 BST)

    Liverpool v VillarrealImage source, Getty Images

    Spanish football expert Guillem Balague expects to see a different side to Villarreal in Tuesday's Champions League semi-final second leg.

    The Spanish football expert thinks Liverpool will progress to the final, but believes Unai Emery's side will put up more of a fight than in their 2-0 loss at Anfield.

    He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "The Villarreal you saw in Anfield is not the usual Villarreal. Gerard Moreno, for starters the best player, will be back.

    "They know what they got wrong, basically they had a list of five things to do and did all five wrong. So they will try to get at least a couple right in terms of keeping the ball for longer, building up from the back better and being better under pressure, while creating chances themselves.

    "Unlikely yes, but this is football so let’s say anything can happen. There are things that have to be adjusted. There was a bunch of things they didn’t do right. The two forwards didn’t really pressure, didn’t add when they had the ball. They didn’t have the ball for long but the centre-backs were doing intricate passes with the midfielders and they were only on the edge of their own box still with 70 metres to go.

    "I think there will be goals. Maybe Villarreal will manage not to lose but Liverpool will go through."

  4. Breaking team news - Jota starts for Redspublished at 18:42 British Summer Time 3 May 2022
    Breaking

    Villarreal v Liverpool (20:00 BST)

    Well, one player who will give them a bit more presence up top is Gerard Moreno, who missed the first leg but it back in the side tonight. However, Arnaut Danjuma is missing for the Spanish side.

    Liverpool opt for Diogo Jota up front with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. Naby Keita gets the nod in midfield.

    Full team news coming shortly.

  5. Change of tacticspublished at 18:40 British Summer Time 3 May 2022

    Villarreal v Liverpool (20:00 BST)

    To be fair, Villarreal couldn't play much less football than they did in that first leg at Anfield.

    They spent pretty much the whole 90 minutes (barring a very late dart at trying to grab a goal) camped in their own half, booting the ball back to the Reds defence before resetting to go again. They managed only one effort at goal (not on target) in the game and had a paltry 27% possession.

    They certainly can't be doing that again tonight.

  6. 'Be ready to suffer'published at 18:37 British Summer Time 3 May 2022

    Villarreal v Liverpool (20:00 BST)

    Jurgen KloppImage source, Getty Images

    But wait, what's this from Jurgen Klopp...?

    The German says Liverpool will have to "be ready to suffer" in tonight's Champions League semi-final second leg in Spain, despite that two-goal advantage.

    An own goal from Pervis Estupinan and a Sadio Mane strike gave Liverpool a 2-0 win at Anfield last Wednesday.

    Manager Klopp warned: "We have to be ready to play a top game because they will go for us.

    "They will try to play much more football than we allowed them in the first game.

    "My only concern is what we do and we have to be ready to suffer. But not going 1-0 down or whatever - that can happen in football matches - but giving the game the right direction.

    "If they have the first shot on target, the crowd goes up, each challenge, the crowd goes up and that is how it is."

  7. Done and dusted?published at 18:32 British Summer Time 3 May 2022

    Villarreal v Liverpool (20:00 BST)

    Liverpool are on the verge of a third Champions League final in five years. You have to take your hat off to that, even if it's as a begrudging fan of another club. And I say "on the verge" because, let's face it, pretty much everyone expects the Reds to just finish the job off tonight.

    That 2-0 win at Anfield didn't kill off the tie, but it did most of the job. So yeah, a goal inside 20 minutes tonight, cruise through and then put your feet up as Real Madrid and Manchester City lob haymakers at each other for the right to face you in the Stade de France.

  8. Back again?published at 18:27 British Summer Time 3 May 2022

    Villarreal v Liverpool (20:00 BST)

    2018...

    Liverpool 2018 Champions League finalImage source, Getty Images

    2019...

    Liverpool 2019 Champions League finalImage source, Getty Images

    2022...?

    Jurgen KloppImage source, Getty Images