It’s the perfect 10 for Liverpool! Indeed, the Reds secure their 10th appearance in a European Cup/Champions League final after beating Villarreal.
Jurgen Klopp’s side recovered from 2-0 down on the day after Boulaye Dia and Francis Coquelin levelled the tie in the first half.
Second-half strikes from Fabinho, Luis Diaz and Sadio Mane send them to Paris, where they will play Manchester City or Real Madrid on May 28.
They will hope to lead to a magnificent seventh triumph in this competition while remaining on course to complete a remarkable quadruple.
Starting lineup:
VILLARREAL (4-4-2): Geronimo Rulli; Juan Foyth, Raul Albiol, Pau Torres, Pervis Estupinan; Giovani Lo Celso, Daniel Parejo, Etienne Capoue, Francis Coquelin; Gerard Moreno, Boulaye Dia.
LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Alisson; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Andrew Robertson; Naby Keita, Fabinho, Thiago; Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Diogo Jota.
Goals:
DIA!!! 1-0 VILLARREAL! What a start by the hosts! Capoue evades Robertson at the far post to cushion Estupinan’s deep cross back into the danger zone, where Dia reacts quickest to steer into an empty net.
COQUELIN!!! 2-0 ON THE DAY, AND WE’RE ALL SQUARE! The former Arsenal midfielder levels the tie. Capoue brilliantly turns away from Robertson before crossing for Coquelin, who rises unchallenged to head past Alisson.
FABINHO!!! 3-2 LIVERPOOL ON AGGREGATE! The Reds regained the advantage in the tie. Fabinho beats the offside trap to latch onto Salah’s prodded through ball before drilling a low shot through the legs of Rulli from a tight angle.
DIAZ!!! 2-2 ON THE NIGHT, 4-2 ON AGGREGATE! Liverpool has breathing space! All of a sudden, the Reds are back on track. Diaz ghosts into the area to meet Alexander-Arnold’s inviting cross before burying his header past a helpless Rulli.
MANE!!! 3-2 LIVERPOOL ON THE DAY AND 5-2 ON AGGREGATE! Indeed, they are going to Paris now. Rulli comes racing out of goal in an attempt to clear a hopeful ball forward. However, Mane beats him to it and gets away from Foyth before rolling the ball into an empty net.
So, what’s next?
Liverpool’s quadruple charge continues on Saturday when they host Tottenham in the Premier League. The following day, Villarreal host Sevilla in LaLiga as the Yellow Submarine look to make a late surge towards the European qualification places.
