Benfica vs Liverpool LIVE: Champions League result, final score and reaction tonight
Relive all the action from the quarter-final first leg in Lisbon
Winger Luis Diaz marked his return to Portugal with the crucial late goal which gave Liverpool a 3-1 lead over Benfica to take back to Anfield for their Champions League quarter-final second leg.
The former Porto star, signed in January, was booed relentlessly but he responded perfectly in the 87th minute to spare the blushes of Ibrahima Konate, whose mistake just over half an hour after scoring his first goal for the club had gifted the hosts a goal they had barely deserved.
Jurgen Klopp’s side had been coasting at half-time in the Estadio da Luz after Sadio Mane’s goal doubled the advantage given to them by their centre-back’s header but having squandered numerous chances, Konate’s legs got tangled as he tried to make a clearance early in the second half and Darwin Nunez capitalised.
It was a goal which significantly changed the game for a long period, as Benfica suddenly looked the better side with Liverpool completely out of sorts, but Diaz had the final word to make the return look slightly more comfortable than it had done.
Victory saw Liverpool, who had lost on their last three visits here, equal a club record of five successive away victories in Europe.
Relive all the action live below:
Benfica vs Liverpool
At home against English visitors, Benfica’s record is seven wins, five draws and six defeats but the last five matches in Lisbon have yielded one win, two draws and two defeats, the most recent game a 0-1 loss to Manchester United in the 2017/18 Champions League group stage.
The Portuguese club’s record in two-legged ties against English opposition is five wins, eight losses with victories in two of the last three.
But, they have won just 11 of their 38 matches against English clubs (D7 L20), losing European finals to Manchester United (1968 European Cup, 1-4 aet) and Chelsea (2013 Europa League, 1-2).
Liverpool have won 10 of their last 13 Champions League matches away from Anfield - one draw, two defeats.
This is their third game against Portuguese opponents this season. The English club won 5-1 at Porto on Matchday 2 and secured a 2-0 Matchday 5 win at Anfield.
The Reds have the record five wins, three draws and four losses in Portugal; they have won the last three away games against Liga clubs, all at Porto, scoring 14 goals and conceding only one.
Liverpool have also won their last four games against Portuguese opponents, scoring 13 goals and conceding two, and are unbeaten in seven matches (W5 D2) since a 1-0 loss at Braga in the 2010/11 Europa League round of 16 (0-1 agg).
Jurgen Klopp content with Liverpool position ahead of crunch Man City showdown
Liverpool’s time at the top of the Premier League table was brief, but manager Jurgen Klopp insists they are in the position they wanted to be heading into next week’s pivotal clash with Manchester City.
A 2-0 win over Watford at Anfield in the lunchtime kick-off saw the Reds return to top spot for the first time since September to put the pressure on City, who responded with a straightforward victory at Burnley to re-establish their one-point cushion.
But, having been 14 points adrift of their title rivals in January, Klopp is more than happy with where his team are now.
Jurgen Klopp content with Liverpool position ahead of crunch Man City showdown
The Reds saw off Watford to keep the heat on the Premier League leaders.
Benfica vs Liverpool
Defender, Virgil van Dijk, says that Liverpool will treat Benfica with the respect they deserve and points out that the Portuguese club are in the Champions League quarter-finals for a reason. Speaking in a pre-match press conference he said:
“Benfica are in the last eight. We can say one of the ‘easiest’ draws, but they are there for a reason. It’s going to be difficult. We have to show them the respect they deserve. You can make whatever you want out of this, but it’s going to be tough.”
Benfica vs Liverpool
Benfica coach, Nélson Veríssimo, says navigating the Champions League quarter-finals against Liverpool will be ‘tricky’ and knows that his team need to be at a high level to compete. He said:
“We have to recognise that Liverpool is a team with great collective and individual competence, with a great coach, and that will force us to be at a very high level in both games. It’s going to be a tricky tie but, as I said with Ajax, it’s going to be 50/50.”
Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool do not see quadruple as a realistic target
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has dismissed the idea that his team ever considered the quadruple as a realistic target.
The Merseyside outfit head into the final two months of the season having won the Carabao Cup and with the possibility of also claiming the Premier League title, FA Cup and Champions League.
But Klopp, who has seen his side lose just once in 20 matches in all competitions since the start of 2022, continues to play down a four-trophy campaign as a near-impossible feat.
Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool do not see quadruple as a realistic target
Klopp instead suggested Manchester City are favourites for the treble
Benfica vs Liverpool
The Reds are featuring in the Champions League for the 14th time and this is the ninth season in which they have reached the quarter-finals.
Liverpool enjoyed a faultless record in this season’s group stage having won 2-1 against AC Milan on Matchday 6 to conclude their perfect Group B campaign. Liverpool had opened with a 3-2 win at home to Milan before beating Porto (5-1 a, 2-0 h) and Atlético de Madrid (3-2 a, 2-0 h).
The Merseyside club made it four away wins from four games with a 2-0 victory at Inter in the round of 16 first leg, going through despite a 1-0 loss at Anfield.
Benfica vs Liverpool
Benfica are yet to win a match in the Champions League quarter-finals - they’ve draw three and lost five of the eight games they’ve played.
The Eagles have also lost their last four European Cup quarter-final ties, and seven of the last nine.
The Lisbon side won two, drew two and lost two of their Group E games this season with both victories coming at home – 3-0 against Barcelona on Matchday 2 and, decisively, 2-0 against Dynamo Kyiv on Matchday 6 – while they shipped nine goals in losing both games against Bayern (0-4 h, 2-5 a).
Benfica vs Liverpool: Recent meetings
The most recent of the sides’ last ten meetings came in the 2009/10 Europa League quarter-finals, when Benfica came from behind to win 2-1 in the Lisbon first leg before Liverpool turned round the tie with a 4-1 victory at Anfield in which Fernando Torres scored twice. Óscar Cardozo was on target in both legs for the Portuguese side.
Benfica ended Liverpool’s reign as Champions League holders in the 2005/06 round of 16. Luisão, now a club director, scored the only goal of the first leg in Lisbon six minutes from time before Simão (36) and Fabrizio Miccoli (89) secured a 2-0 win on Merseyside.
The sides’ other three ties all came in the European Cup, and all in campaigns in which Liverpool went on to reach the final.
Jurgen Klopp ‘happy’ with Mohamed Salah contract situation at Liverpool
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says he is “happy” with Mohamed Salah’s contract situation.
It was reported at the weekend that the Egypt forward, currently on a deal running to 2023, was close to agreeing a new one that would keep him with Liverpool until the end of his career.
Klopp was asked about the contract situation at his press conference ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final first-leg trip to Benfica.
And he said: “I’m happy with it because there’s nothing new to say.
“It is just good. The decisive parties are talking to each other and that’s all I need.”
Jurgen Klopp ‘happy’ with Mohamed Salah contract situation at Liverpool
It was reported at the weekend that the Egypt forward, currently on a deal running to 2023, was close to agreeing a new one
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