Benevolent Liverpool meets giant-killers, Villarreal, in the semifinal stage attempting to end the opposition's fairy tale run on the course for their third Champions League final in five years.
The Reds had to scrape through a resolute Benfica team to reach this stage but the story of the quarterfinal was all about Villarreal pulling off yet another upset by knocking out Bayern Munich from the competition.
LIV vs VILL Champions League Semi Final 1st Leg Match Details
Date: Wednesday, 27 April 2022/ Thursday, 28 April 2022
Time: 20:00 (BST)/ 00:30 (IST)
Venue: Anfield
LIV vs VILL Champions League Semi Final 1st Leg Match Preview
Three cup semifinals in a row for Liverpool as they wish to be in the showpiece after getting into the final for the other two competitions, the FA Cup and winning the EFL Cup. Never before they have done that in one season. Their progress from the quarterfinal stage wasn't tough but pricky, to say the least with Benfica creating a contest in the 3-3 draw at Anfield but bowing out 6-4 on aggregate. That draw at Anfield meant Liverpool have not won at home in the knockout rounds of the Champions League this season having lost to Inter in the last 16. However, that defeat is the only one they have suffered in the last 26 games in all competitions. Klopp's men would argue those ties were settled in the first leg itself so the results didn't matter much in the end. The Reds can't be casual about things from here and especially not against the opposition they are facing whom others underestimated. Liverpool are going to play their third straight game at home, not conceding and have momentum on their side to be optimistic about. Aside from Europe, the Reds have won 12th straight league games at home with 14 goals scored in the last five itself. As known, the Merseyside giants are chasing an unprecedented quadruple with a hard-fought 2-0 win over rivals Everton at the weekend to keep the pressure on City for the Premier League title. This competition though will be an added luxury in their mission for a historical campaign.
Liverpool are the favorites to book their tickets to Paris but so were Bayern Munich and although a timid Juventus, a big name in the competition. They have not made it to the later rounds because of a certain Unai Emery guiding his Villarreal team to supremacy. Very few could have predicted the Europa League winners to move out of the group stage let alone be a candidate in the last four. Juventus are not in their best version this season so eliminating them raised some eyebrows but Bayern Munich were tipped to end their journey in the quarterfinals. It wasn't to be. Arnaut Danjuma gave the Yellow Submarines a slender lead from the first leg at home which evaporated in Germany through Robert Lewandowski. Villarreal stayed true to themselves and Chukwueze grabbed a late winner causing another huge upset. The Yellow Submarines are also unbeaten in their last five games in the competition. Emery has made Villarreal a strong defensive side with a terrific ability to make decisive attacks on the break. It troubled the so-called giants as they ran out of ideas to breach them stepping into the same trap over and over again. The task for them is now to slander one of the most informed teams in Europe this season and a superbly built side with incredible depth.
LIV vs VILL Champions League Semi Final 1st Leg Team News
Roberto Firmino is expected to miss the first leg through his foot injury that has kept him on the sidelines for some weeks now. There are no other injury or suspension problems for Klopp to deal with. Ibrahima Konate could get his place at the back after scoring in both the legs against Benfica in the quarterfinal while Jordan Henderson and Luis Diaz will make a way in place of Naby Keita and Sadio Mane in the opening eleven.
Villarreal have a couple of key absentees for the trip to Anfield. Former left-back for the Reds, Alberto Moreno is out as he remains in his recovery period from a ruptured ligament. Joining him on the sidelines is Gerard Moreno, their star striker who picked up a hamstring injury after contributing to two goals in the 2-1win over Getafe last week.
LIV vs VILL Champions League Semi Final 1st Leg Expected Lineups
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Van Dijk, Andrew Robertson, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Luis Diaz
Villarreal: Geronimo Rulli; Juan Foyth, Raul Albiol, Pau Torres, Pervis Estupinan, Dani Parejo, Francis Coquelin, Etienne Capoue, Lo Celso, Samuel Chukwueze, Arnaut Danjuma
LIV vs VILL Head to Head
These two met at the semifinal stage of a 2015/16 Europa League season in the only other face off at the continental level between the clubs in history. Villarreal, then managed by current Athletic club boss Marcelino, took the lead in the first leg through Adrian Lopez netting past Simon Mignolet in the last kick of the game. Jurgen Klopp, in his first season at Liverpool, turned up the heat at Anfield and thrashed the yellow submarines 3-0 on route to the final. They were eventually beaten by none other than a side led by Unai Emery, Sevilla to become the first side to lift the trophy for the third consecutive times.
LIV vs VILL Champions League Semi Final 1st Leg Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Rulli (9)
DEF: Foyth (8.5), Konate (8.5), P. Torres (9.5), Robertson(9)
MID: Thiago (8.5), Lo Celso (9), Parejo (9.5)
FW: Salah (10), Danjuma (9.5), Diaz (9)
