The foolish bet remains valid. Qualified for the Champions League final after their victory at Villarreal (3-2), the Liverpool Reds continue to dream of a fabulous, unprecedented quadruple in England (Cup, League Cup, championship and European Cup). But Jürgen Klopp’s men, surprisingly crumbly for 45 minutes in the Ceramics stadium, had a few nice cold sweats to sink the yellow submarine definitively.
In the first leg, the Spaniards, only beaten 2-0 despite the ultra-dominance of England without attempting the slightest strike, wondered how they had not drunk the cup. In their lair, it takes them less than three minutes to get back on their feet! 2′53 exactly. A return from Capoue and here is the improbable Boulaye Dia, former Jura Sud and Reims striker who was not even supposed to be a starter, at the conclusion of the first Iberian goal. Liverpool is sounded.
Like ex-Parisian Lo Celso, Unai Emery’s players, extremely aggressive, press high and deprive Van Dijk and his team of the slightest raise. On a soggy lawn, British midfielders line up missed passes. Almost the world upside down as the red armada has been walking on water (and on its opponents) since the start of the year (only one defeat in 28 games). The Reds are not at the end of their sentences.
Five minutes from the break, on a new cross from Capua, Francis Coquelin rose higher than Alexander-Arnold and sent his head into the skylight of Alisson. As for Dia, his first goal in the Champions League. The state of grace.
After Juve in the round of 16, Bayern Munich in the quarters, Liverpool is at the end of the “amarillo” crampons. “We didn’t fight and we just threw long balls,” summarizes Klopp. But on returning from the locker room, the Reds found color while the Yellows were looking for their second wind and Fabinho reduced the score between the legs of Rulli (62nd).
“Villarreal knew how to hurt us, explains Ibrahima Konaté, the central defender of Liverpool. We talked a lot with the coach at half-time, we helped each other, we knew we had to come back and show our true colors. We put some intensity. »
Spanish hopes are finally extinguished with a header from Luis Diaz (67th). On a counter, Mané dribbles Rulli and drives the point home (74th) to validate a place at the Stade de France on May 28. Liverpool, who will have won their six trips to C1 this season, will be aiming for a seventh European consecration there against Real Madrid or Manchester City.
“I do not realize yet, slips Konaté. Maybe you won’t believe me but we have to think about the next game because we dream of big things and Tottenham are coming this weekend (Editor’s note: in the Premier League). »
Seventh in La Liga, the Villarreal players will have to wait a little longer to savor the incomparable intoxication of Champions League evenings…
“It hurts us a lot for people,” said Spanish captain Albiol. We have made an incredible effort. In the second half they were superior and we paid for our efforts in the first half. The path we have made in this Champions League is incredible. We just have to continue because in the future the club will experience other evenings like this. »