Villarreal vs Liverpool LIVE: Champions League result and final score after Luis Diaz turns semi-final around
Villarreal 2-3 Liverpool (Liverpool win 5-2 on aggregate): Follow for live reaction from a thrilling night in the Champions League as the Reds progressed to the final
Follow live reaction as Liverpool progressed to the Champions League final after seeing off a thrilling comeback from Villarreal thanks to second-half goals from Fabinho, Luis Diaz and Sadio Mane.
The noise in El Madrigal before kick-off ensured it would be an intimidating atmosphere for Liverpool, who led 2-0 after last week’s first leg at Anfield, and an early goal from Boulaye Dia inside three minutes gave Villarreal a perfect start.
Liverpool were sloppy in what was their poorest first half of the season and when Francis Coquelin’s header levelled the tie shortly before the break it was no less than Villarreal deserved.
But it was all change after half-time, with Diaz making an impact from the bench. Fabinho fired between goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli’s legs to put the Reds ahead once again, before Diaz scored a header from close range to restore Liverpool’s two-goal lead.
Mane confirmed the win as he went round the goalkeeper to score Liverpool’s third goal in 12 minutes, which keeps Jurgen Klopp’s hopes of an unprecedented quadruple alive.
Liverpool will play either Manchester City or Real Madrid in the Paris final on May 28. Relive the action from a dramatic Champions League semi-final below.
Villarreal vs Liverpool
Less than 15 minutes to go until kick off at the Estadio de la Ceramica. Can Liverpool see off Villarreal and reach the Champions League final?
Villarreal vs Liverpool
The Reds conceded at least three goals in the away leg of their past three Champions League semi-final ties: 3-2 defeat after extra-time versus Chelsea in 2007-08 (second leg), 4-2 loss to Roma in 2017-18 (second leg) and 3-0 defeat at Barcelona in 2018-19 (first leg).
Pre-match thoughts of Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk spoke to BT Sport in the build-up to tonight’s match and said: “We knew it was going to be tough last week against Villarreal. The atmosphere was incredible. We had to be patient – but we kept pressing.
“We’re in a good position, but we don’t speak about [winning the Champions League]. If it doesn’t happen, it’d be quite sad to be honest because we’re quite close. But if not, we’ll go again.”
Villarreal vs Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp has progressed from all of his four European semi-finals as a manager (one for Borussia Dortmund, three for Liverpool). In all four of those ties, his team won the home leg and lost the away leg.
Villarreal vs Liverpool
Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat against Inter Milan in the round of 16 second leg is their only loss in 28 matches across all competitions - they’ve won 22 and drawn five in that run.
The Reds have lost only two of their 27 away games in all competitions this season (21 wins, four draws), and are unbeaten on their travels since a 1-0 Premier League loss at Leicester on 28th December.
They have not lost an away match by a two-goal margin since the 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in last season's Champions League quarter-final first leg.
Liverpool face Villarreal side with ‘nothing to lose’ in Champions League semi-final second leg
Liverpool head to Villarreal on Tuesday night knowing they hold a strong position to reach the Champions League final - but former Spain international midfielder Marcos Senna says his old club can still cause another upset.
Under Jurgen Klopp, the Reds are bidding to reach their third final in five seasons in Europe’s top competition, but first they must complete the job started last week against the current Europa League holders.
Villarreal sit only seventh in La Liga but have already knocked out Juventus and Bayern Munich in their run to the last four, while they have not lost at the Estadio de la Ceramica since the end of November. It all has Senna believing they are in a win-win position which plays into their favour - and he picked out the midfield pairing as critical to any hopes of a comeback for Unai Emery’s side.
Liverpool face Villarreal side with ‘nothing to lose’ in semi-final second leg
The Reds hold a two-goal lead after the Anfield fixture but the Yellow Submarine have a formidable home record this year
Villarreal vs Liverpool
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 12 games in all competitions with 10 wins and two draws.
Their victory over Newcastle at the weekend was Liverpool’s 42nd victory in all competitions this season.
Only three English top-flight clubs have ever won more in a campaign: Everton (43 in 1984/85), Manchester City (44 in 2017/18, 47 in 2020/21, 50 in 2018/19) and Manchester United (44 in 2008/09).
Villarreal vs Liverpool
Sadio Mane has now scored 14 goals in the knockout stages of the Champions League – the joint-most by an African player, along with Didier Drogba.
Villarreal vs Liverpool
Liverpool had lost three of their last four away games in the Champions League knockout rounds before this season.
This is their fifth successive campaign in the Champions League proper. Under Jurgen Klopp they finished runners-up to Real Madrid in the 2017/18 final, claimed their sixth European Cup at the expense of Tottenham in the 2018/19 final and went out twice at the quarter-final stage.
Villarreal vs Liverpool
Villarreal reached their first major European final last season and defeated Manchester United in the Europa League. They were also twice winners of the Uefa Intertoto Cup (2003, 2004) having finished as runners-up in 2002.
Their overall record against English clubs is won five, drawn nine, lost eight.
They have won four of their 10 home games against Premier League visitors, this season’s defeat to Manchester United was only their second loss.
Only once - a 2-0 win at home to Middlesbrough in the 2004/05 Uefa Cup group stage - have they defeated English opponents by a margin of more than one goal.
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