Villarreal vs Liverpool LIVE: Champions League latest score and updates as Coquelin goal levels tie
'You better treat UCL semi-final carefully' - Klopp warns his team
Follow live updates as Liverpool travel to Villarreal aiming to finish the job and reach a third Champions League final in five seasons under Jurgen Klopp. The Reds take a two-goal lead into the semi-final second leg at El Madrigal following a dominant performance at Anfield last week, but Unai Emery’s Europa League winners have shocked Bayern Munich and Juventus to reach this point and cannot be taken lightly.
The hosts will have to be more adventurous this time if they are to turn the tie around, after Sadio Mane added to Jordan Henderson’s rather fortuitous opener to earn Liverpool a 2-0 first-leg victory, but Klopp’s side will be looking to keep the momentum going with another win as their quest for an unprecedented quadruple continues. The Reds defeated Newcastle 1-0 on Saturday to keep their Premier League title challenge alive, with Manchester City then responding to remain one point in front.
Klopp has warned that Liverpool will need to “suffer” if they are to advance to the Paris final in what the German expects to be a “tough” night in Spain. But Emery was under no illusions of the task awaiting his side as he claimed Villarreal will need to play the “perfect game” if they are to overturn Liverpool’s lead and pull off a mighty European shock.
Follow live updates from Villlareal vs Liverpool in the Champions League semi-finals, below:
- Kick-off was at 8pm at Estadio de la Cerámica, match live on BT Sport
- 37’ - Referee waves away huge Villarreal penalty shout on Lo Celso
- ‘3 GOAL! Liverpool fall asleep as El Madrigal erupts with Dia goal
- Villarreal XI: Rulli, Foyth, Albiol, Pau Torres, Estupinan, Parejo, Capoue, Coquelin, Lo Celso, Dia, Gerard Moreno
- Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Keita, Fabinho, Thiago Alcantara, Salah, Jota, Mane
- Winner will face either Real Madrid or Manchester City in Paris final
- Liverpool led 2-0 after dominant first-leg performance
41 mins: Villarreal are level!
Michael Jones3 May 2022 20:42
39 mins: The replays show that Alisson did get down to the ball first and then Lo Celso ran into him. It’s a brilliant decision from the referee who’s having a good night so far.
Liverpool on the other hand continue to struggle. Jurgen Klopp will not be happy at all. It’s a performance that brings to mind their match at Anfield versus Inter Milan.
They went on to lose that one.
Michael Jones3 May 2022 20:41
36 mins: Huge penalty shout! Naby Keita passes the ball back to his own defence but sends it straight to Gerard Moreno. He spins and slides it into the box for Giovani Lo Celso. Alisson comes flying off his line then stops before diving towards the ball. Lo Celso attempts to shift it around the keeper but collides with Alisson and the entire stadium erupts shouting for a penalty that doesn’t come!
Big decision from the referee who says that Alisson won the ball.
Michael Jones3 May 2022 20:40
33 mins: Liverpool are being outplayed here. The players look very nervous and they can’t keep hold of the ball. Everytime it comes into the penalty area Liverpool’s focus is to clear it and more often than not Villarreal recover possession from the clearance.
Michael Jones3 May 2022 20:37
30 mins: Coquelin fouls Salah over on Liverpool’s right wing. Alexander-Arnold swings the set piece into the penalty area. Van Dijk and Konate are up for Liverpool but the cross comes deep to Mane whose cutback can’t pick out a teammate and the home side work it clear.
Michael Jones3 May 2022 20:33
27 mins: Villarreal are closing down the ball brilliantly in the middle of the pitch and forcing Liverpool to play the ball quickly stopping them from having any time in possession. Fabinho threads a pass up to Sadio Mane who gets brought down by Raul Albiol.
Michael Jones3 May 2022 20:30
24 mins: Salah spins off the shoulder of Estupinan and is fed the ball on the right side. Liverpool sweep forward and Salah squares it over to Diogo Jota. His first touch isn’t great as the ball runs away from him into the box. Geronimo Rulli comes flying off his line to close Jota down but it’s a back-tracking Raul Albiol who gets there first. The ball bounces off the goalkeeper and he scrambles over the turf to get his hand to it. Salah nicks it off him and pulls a shot wide of the far post before the referee blows for a foul.
Michael Jones3 May 2022 20:27
21 mins: A quick counter-attack from Villarreal sees Gerard Moreno played into the right side of the box into space behind Andy Robertson. He fires across a pass towards the middle of the area but Van Dijk blocks and clears it before the offside flag goes up against Moreno.
Liverpool look very shaky over these opening 20 minutes or so.
Michael Jones3 May 2022 20:24
18 mins: Francis Coquelin goes to ground in the middle of the pitch in a heap of theatrics and the referee isn’t fooled. He lets play go on and Trent Alexander-Arnold flicks a pass over the top to play Sadio Mane in behind through the middle. Mane attempts to control the ball on his chest but gets flagged offside and the attack breaks down.
Michael Jones3 May 2022 20:20
15 mins: The ball comes to Gerard Moreno in the middle of the pitch and he flicks it over Konate’s head just as Virgil van Dijk comes across to tackle him. He leaves a bit too much on the Villarreal forward and gives away a free kick.
The home side work it nicely into the penalty area where Moreno wins it in the air and fires a headed effort at goal that Andy Robertson blocks.
Michael Jones3 May 2022 20:18