Dhe overjoyed Jürgen Klopp repeatedly slapped his heart and hugged his players with relief. The team manager and Liverpool FC continued to keep their chance for the historic quadruple. The nerve-racking Reds advanced to the Champions League final on May 28 at the Stade de France with a 3-2 (0-2) win at Bayern-Schreck FC Villarreal. Liverpool won the first leg 2-0 on Wednesday last week.
“It all started the way you don’t want it to be. We didn’t come into play. Then we started kicking and found the space,” Klopp said after the game on Prime Video: “I’m really happy.”
For Klopp, after the defeat in 2018 and the triumph in 2019, it is already the third premier class final with Liverpool. The final opponent will be determined on Wednesday (9 p.m./in the FAZ live ticker for the Champions League and on DAZN) between Real Madrid and Manchester City (first leg: 4: 3 for City).
Liverpool FC still has further title chances in the league and in the cup. In the FA Cup final on May 14, Chelsea are waiting with German coach Thomas Tuchel. In the Premier League, the Reds are just a point behind leaders Manchester City of Pep Guardiola. Liverpool FC already won the League Cup in February.
Villarreal, who knocked Bayern Munich out of the competition in the quarter-finals, took a 2-0 lead through Boulaye Dia (3′) and Francis Coquelin (41′) and made up for the deficit from the first game. Liverpool managed to turn things around in a strong second half through Fabinho (62′), Luis Diaz (67′) and Sadio Mané (74′). In the final phase, Villarreal’s Etienne Capoue (86th) saw the yellow-red card. The Europa League winner can still look back with pride on the season in the premier class. Before FC Bayern, the team eliminated the Italian record champions Juventus Turin in the round of 16.
Before the kick-off in the Estadio de la Ceramica in Villarreal, which was sold out with 23,500 spectators, Klopp had warned against arrogance. “We ignore the first leg result. We know they will give everything they have,” said the 54-year-old. The former Dortmund master maker saw himself quickly confirmed. The “Yellow Submarine” appeared more often in the Liverpool penalty area in the early stages than in the entire first duel. The hosts quickly rewarded themselves for their courageous performance with Dia, coach Unai Emery cheered exuberantly.
Liverpool seemed surprised and found it difficult to press the outsider. The dreaded speed and combination game of the guests, who had arrived with an impeccable record of five wins in five away games in this premier class season, didn’t gain momentum at all in the first half.
Klopp was visibly unhappy and flailed his arms wildly on the sidelines. It did not help. Villarreal remained the more dangerous team. Reds goalkeeper Alisson Becker risked life and limb against the breached Giovani Lo Celso (37′) – it would not have been a surprise if the referee had awarded a penalty at this point. Five minutes later, Becker was powerless against Coquelin’s header: the score was 2-0 – the lead from the first leg was equalized.
Klopp reacted and brought in Diaz for Diogo Jota after the change – a good decision. Liverpool became more dominant, Villarreal retreated more. A deflected long-range shot by Trent Alexander-Arnold hit the bar (55′). The visitors increased the pressure and were rewarded by Fabinho’s goal. Goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli looked unhappy as the shot from close range into the near corner went through his legs. Diaz equalized a little later with a header – again from close range and again through Trulli’s legs. Mane then made everything clear with the third goal. Here, too, Rulli acted unhappily, as he stormed out of the goal during a counterattack, but missed the ball.
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