A good thing done … Before meeting on Sunday at 5.30 p.m. in the match at the top of the English championship between Manchester City, 1st, and Liverpool, 2nd by one point, Citizens and Reds took their quarter by the right end Champions League final. Liverpool, dominating then jostled at the Stade de la Luz, 3-1 against Benfica, has already almost validated its ticket for the half. For their part, City, who had more to do with Atlético, also largely dominated but will have to settle for the advantage of a goal at the Wanda Metropolitano on April 13.
City did the job
At the Etihad Stadium, as expected, Pep Guardiola’s team turned the ball as they know how to do and outrageously dominated Diego Simeone’s Colchoneros. However, the Skyblues did not get the slightest chance in the entire first half, not even managing to frame a strike. True to its reputation as a foiling machine, Atlético did not attempt a single shot in the entire first period.
For City, salvation came after more than an hour of patience by De Bruyne, scorer of a small ball crossed with the right foot in the small net of Oblak (1-0, 70th). Entering just before with Grealish and Jesus, on the occasion of the complete renewal of the citizen attack, Foden, fixing four defenders, delivered the decisive pass to the Belgian, 13 times scorer this season but who had not scored in the European Cup. Europe so far.
Stunned by the goal, the people of Madrid let their device stretch over the minutes and De Bruyne saw his attempt repelled by the foot of Savic (80th).
On the Colchoneros side, Griezmann, almost invisible this Tuesday evening, gave way from the hour mark. Atlético will have to invent something by Wednesday in eight days if he wants to give himself a chance to challenge the qualification for Man City.
The Reds too strong for Benfica
All dressed in yellow once is not customary, Klopp’s players first walked on the Portuguese, completely overwhelmed in the first period. On opposing ground, Liverpool confiscated the ball (63% possession in the first period) and rushed on the goal of Vlachodimos, shooting 12 times on goal in the first 45 minutes.
A Frenchman distinguished himself at the Stade de la Luz in the person of Ibrahima Konaté, the central defender of the Reds alongside Van Dijk. Winner of a number of duels, the young 22-year-old player, trained at Paris FC, opened the scoring, rising very high to score with a header, following a corner from Robertson (0-1, 17th) . The former Sochalien, transferred this summer from Leipzig, signs his first goal for Liverpool in the Champions League. After which, the inevitable Mané scored the break goal, pushing Diaz’s delivery into the opposing goal, served in depth (0-2, 34th).
After the break, however, it was a transfigured Benfica who appeared on the lawn and Nunez, exploiting an error from Konaté on Silva’s cross, reduced the mark against all odds (1-2, 49th).
Benfica, despite an opportunity on the hour mark, annihilated by a save from Alisson on a shot from Everton, then the hope of a penalty finally refused for a foul by Van Dijk on Nunez (67th), did not failed to afford the draw. Even if the Portuguese chances are slim in perspective of the return match, the players of Verissimo can boast of having shaken up the Reds … despite Diaz’s goal in the 87th for the 3-1.