On Wednesday, FC Liverpool managed what Juventus Turin and FC Bayern had not succeeded in the rounds before: he kept cracking Villareal’s defensive bars, but above all he didn’t seriously run the risk of concealing a goal.
- TV expert Owen is annoyed that Villarreal “still has pulse”
- EMERY: Return game “Will be very different”
Because the counterpressing “outstanding” (Jürgen Klopp) worked, the guests in a Champions League semi-final first leg of only concluded a single conclusion and not even on the goal. Liverpool could not do much more clearly who is a favorite to the final.
Nevertheless, Klopp classified the intermediate stand as usual. “It is 2: 0, half, nothing more, nothing less,” he said and warned dutiful: “This is a dangerous result. Nothing has happened yet.” In the second leg – without an away goal rule – his team must be “full of alert” and play, “as if there is nothing to defend”.
TV expert Owen is annoyed that Villarreal “still has pulse”
Had Klopp even smiled the chances of an even better starting point? “I think he has made a change that almost didn’t advertise to go on another goal,” said “BT Sport” expert Michael Owen quietly. The former Liverpool attacker did not like the fact that Klopp brought the much more defensive Joe Gomez for Trent Alexander-Arnold.
“He spared a few forces,” said Owen, the pairing in a third goal would have already been decided. But now she still live in the second leg. “Villarreal still has pulse.”
That Klopp, in view of three possible titles, the early Premier League kick on Saturday (1.30 p.m. in Newcastle) and well-known bank options goal scorer Sadio Mané, captain Jordan Henderson (both 72nd minute), Alexander-Arnold and Luis Diaz (both 81.) Take off the pitch was really not to be accused of. Nevertheless, in the final phase, the game had the character of a not so intensive training game. The Reds checked them and seemed to be satisfied with the result – just like Villarreal.
EMERY: Return game “Will be very different”
The Spaniards are now fully on the second leg on Tuesday (9 p.m., live! At Wednesday), which they can contest, unlike against Juve and Bavaria in Estadio de la Ceramica at home. “At home we will try to change something, perhaps also tactically,” said coach Unai Emery, whose counter match plan in Liverpool had not worked at all. “The game will be very different.” His announcement: “You will have to suffer more than today.”
However, Klopp had run out of this anyway. “We know that a tricky atmosphere is waiting for us. These players, this coach, will fight with everything they have (for prog.) _ Fight.” But: “What I like is that we too will fight with everything we have.”