The entry of Luis Diaz which changes everything, the former Ligue 1 in the spotlight against a Geronimo Rulli in great difficulty: discover the tops and flops of this Villarreal – Liverpool (2-3).
Tops
Diaz changes the game
His entry at the break changed everything and allowed Liverpool to win 3-2 on the lawn of Villarreal in this semi-final second leg of the Champions League. After an unspecified first period from Jota, Diaz comes into play on the return from the locker room and settles on the left side. Immediately, his madness and his twirling dribbling put Liverpool in the direction of travel and the “yellow submarine” under water. He was rewarded for his good comeback with a goal, his team’s second in the match. In the 67th, the Colombian rises perfectly to ideally take over the center of Trent. 90% of successful passes (18/20), 100% of successful dribbles (4/4) and 80% of duels won (4/5). A man of the match performance.
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Coquelin and Capoue rake everything
Opposite, the two French midfielders shone, especially in the first period. Francis Coquelin is at the conclusion of the second goal of Groguets (41st), while Étienne Capoue delivered the two assists of his team this Tuesday evening (3rd, 41st). Eleven balloons recovered between them. Coquelin, exhausted, leaves from the 68th and replaced by Pedraza. Étienne Capoue was expelled in the 85th minute, after two yellow cards. A head down exit, but to the applause of the Ceramica. Respect.
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Former Ligue 1 players honored
Loaned to Lorient in 2010-2011, Francis Coquelin is the second scorer (41st) for Villarreal, and at the same time scored his second goal with the Yellows. Boulaye Dia, former Stade de Remis, opened the scoring at the very start of the game (3rd), while Étienne Capoue, trained at Téfécé, is a double passer for Villarreal. Opposite, the former Monegasque Fabinho (62nd) scored his team’s first goal, while Sadio Mané, who started as a pro in Metz, planted Liverpool’s third pawn (74th). Four former players of the French championship also walked the lawn in Spain this Tuesday evening: Aurier, Lo Celso, Rulli and Konaté.
Flops
Villarreal only last an hour
The Groguets played the perfect first period. But before the break, Unai Emery’s players come out with their hands on their knees. The second period will be largely to the advantage of the Reds while the Yellows are only suffering: 25% possession of the ball in the first quarter of an hour of this second period, 38 in the last 45 minutes. After halftime, the “yellow submarine” sank: zero shots attempted. Opposite, Jürgen Klopp’s players scored three goals in 13 attempts.
Rulli all rotten
And if Liverpool had so many facilities to register these three goals, it is largely thanks to Geronimo Rulli, guilty on the three goals. On the first, the Argentinian sees Fabinho’s ball pass between his legs, just like during the second goal of the Reds. Diaz pitches his head perfectly and the ball goes under the opposing goalkeeper. Finally, folk for the last goal! The former Montpellie goalkeeper comes out 35 meters from his goal, but cannot regain the ball. Mané gets rid of Foyth and pushes the ball into the back of the net. A catastrophic evening for those who have never breathed serenity at La Ceramica.
Liverpool off in the first half
If the awakening of Liverpool was so obvious, it is also due to this non-existent first period of the Reds. 66% of successful passes for Jürgen Klopp’s players in the first 45 minutes. Two shots, zero on target before the break. A time passed, Liverpool knew how to increase in intensity … unlike Villarreal, which imploded.