A spot within the Champions League semifinals secured. The dream of an unprecedented quadruple of trophies nonetheless intact. Key gamers rested amid a busy schedule.
Liverpool is in a superb place coming into the house straight of what may become the membership’s best ever season.
Even conceding two late objectives to attract 3-3 at house to Benfica couldn’t take the smile of Jurgen Klopp’s face.
“The day we qualify for the semifinals of the Champions League and I’m not happy, please come here and knock me out,” the Liverpool supervisor mentioned Wednesday after seeing his crew advance from the quarterfinals 6-4 on combination.
With Liverpool inflicting vital injury by successful the primary leg 3-1 in Lisbon final week, Klopp was assured sufficient to relaxation stars like Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold for a return match in opposition to Benfica that became a wild, end-to-end contest at Anfield.
Liverpool’s supervisor Jurgen Klopp celebrates with Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas after successful the tie 6-4 on combination after a 3-3 draw within the Champions League quarterfinal second leg match between Liverpool and Benfica, at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Wednesday, April 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Roberto Firmino’s second-half double put Liverpool 3-1 forward on the night time and 6-2 forward on combination, just for Klopp’s crew to ease off the tempo. Benfica took benefit by getting behind Liverpool’s makeshift protection to attain by substitute Roman Yaremchuk and rising star Darwin Nunez, however the hole was an excessive amount of to make up.
“It was pretty comfortable,” Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson mentioned, “but we’re disappointed with the goals we conceded.”
Ultimately, Liverpool has coasted into the final 4 of Europe’s high membership competitors and is there for the twelfth time _ tying the report for an English crew with Manchester United _ and the primary because the final of its six title triumphs in 2019.
Villarreal awaits Liverpool within the final 4. Despite the Spanish crew eliminating each Juventus and Bayern Munich and its coach, Unai Emery, being a grasp strategist of European competitions, it’s just about a dream state of affairs for Klopp and his crew.
Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate celebrates scoring his facet’s first objective through the Champions League quarterfinal second leg match between Liverpool and Benfica, at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Wednesday, April 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
The quadruple of main trophies may actually be on for Liverpool, already the winner of the English League Cup, at present in second place in Premier League _ only a level behind Manchester City _ and into the semifinals of the FA Cup.
That Klopp was in a position to rotate so closely in opposition to Benfica _ even Andrew Robertson and Fabinho had the night time off _ ought to allow Liverpool to discipline a full-strength crew in opposition to Man City within the FA Cup semifinals at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
City wasn’t in such an opulent place Wednesday, taken all the best way by Atletico Madrid within the Spanish capital the place a 0-0 draw sealed a 1-0 combination victory. City, which can face Real Madrid within the semifinals, noticed Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker go off with accidents in an typically brutal sport in opposition to Atletico, on the identical night time Klopp saved his finest gamers recent and relied on his backups.
Ibrahima Konate was considered one of them and he adopted up his objective within the first leg _ his first each for Liverpool and within the Champions League _ with one other header to open the scoring off Kostas Tsimikas’ outswinging nook.
Goncalo Ramos made it 1-1 within the thirty second minute _ conserving Benfica in with the unlikeliest of possibilities _ with a objective that had a touch of fortune about it. The ball ricocheted to the 20-year-old ahead from a sort out by Liverpool midfielder James Milner and his end from the sting of the world was emphatic previous Alisson.
Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate celebrates scoring his facet’s first objective .(AP Photo/Jon Super)
Firmino is now not first selection for Liverpool following the arrivals of Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz however the Brazil striker staked his declare for a beginning spot within the crew’s large upcoming video games with a double within the area of 10 minutes.
His first objective got here after errors from goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos, who fumbled as he tried to collect a through-ball, and middle again Jan Vertonghen, who hurried his ensuing clearance. Jota drove the ball again into the center of the world and Firmino utilized the end within the fifty fifth.
The Brazilian volleyed in Tsimikas’ free kick to make it 3-1 however Liverpool let Benfica again into the match.
“We were 6-2 up on aggregate and maybe we relaxed,” Jota mentioned.
