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.
Liverpool survive Villarreal fightback to reach Champions League final as Luis Diaz settles thriller
Liverpool do what everyone expected - but in the most unexpected way.
The club cruised to a 10th Champions League final, and a second in Paris, having overcome genuine turbulence. That’s perhaps what going for a quadruple requires.
It’s an achievement of such a monumental scale that there are always going to be ructions, and big challenges within. This semi-final second leg against Villarreal had looked the biggest Liverpool faced. At half-time, it wasn’t just the Champions League or the quadruple on the line, but perhaps the whole season given the potential effect of elimination.
And what happened out of such anxiety and uncertainty?
Liverpool just raised it, and ended up winning 3-2 on the night with ease. Many will rightly look to Jurgen Klopp’s decisiveness there, as he brought on the brilliant Luis Diaz to completely change the game.
Liverpool survive Villarreal fightback to reach Champions League final
Villarreal 2-3 Liverpool (Liverpool win 5-2 on aggregate): Goals from Boulaye Dia and Francis Coquelin had the Reds rocking but half-time substitute Luis Diaz inspired a second comeback as Jurgen Klopp’s side kept their quadruple hopes alive
Reaction from Alexander-Arnold
Trent Alexander-Arnold spoke to BT Sport following full-time and said: “We never make these Champions League semi-finals easy for ourselves. It was very difficult. They played very well in the first half. We regrouped at half-time, grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and got the result we needed.
“It was difficult for us in the first half. We expected it, but sometimes you can’t control the game the way you wanted. In the end we got the game done and booked that ticket to Paris.”
Villarreal 2 - 3 Liverpool (2-5 agg)
Jürgen Klopp has reached the Champions League final for the fourth time as a coach, equalling the record set by Marcello Lippi, Sir Alex Ferguson and Carlo Ancelotti.
Villarreal 2 - 3 Liverpool (2-5 agg)
Sadio Mane also scored in consecutive Champions League games. He finished off Liverpool’s night with a smartly worked goal, carrying the ball around the goalkeeper and tapping it into the open net.
Villarreal 2 - 3 Liverpool (2-5 agg)
Liverpool won the tie comfortably in the end but Villarreal had them nervous after that first half. What a brilliant run the Europa League champions went on.
The got out of the group stages despite finishing behind Manchester United before defeating Juventus and Bayern Munich. At half-time tonight the impossible dream of reaching the Champions League final not only seemed possible but also likely.
However, Liverpool’s class came out in the end and they took advantage of some tired Villarreal players and put the game beyond them.
Villarreal 2 - 3 Liverpool (2-5 agg)
Liverpool have scored 139 goals in 57 games in all competitions in 2021-22, their highest ever total in a single season in their club history.
Villarreal 2 - 3 Liverpool (2-5 agg)
What an impact Luis Diaz had on the game. He was brought on at half-time and became the catalyst for Liverpool’s comeback.
Villarreal 2 - 3 Liverpool (2-5 agg)
Can they actually pull off a quadruple?
Villarreal 2 - 3 Liverpool (2-5 agg)
Liverpool are into their 10th Champions League final. Only behind Real Madrid (16), AC Milan, (11) and Bayern Munich, (11).
If they win the final, they will match Milan’s seven European Cups and go joint second behind Real Madrid’s 13.
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