Liverpool qualified for the semi-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday April 13, contenting themselves with a draw against Benfica (3-3) after a 3-1 victory in the first leg, while Manchester City qualified on a draw against Atlético Madrid (0-0), enough after a 1-0 victory in the first leg.
The 100% Anglo-Spanish last four – the third since 2008 – will therefore pit Liverpool against Villareal, who managed the feat of eliminating Bayern on Tuesday (1-1 draw after a 1-0 first leg victory), and Manchester City to Real Madrid.
Already evident in the first leg in the 3-1 win in Lisbon, the Reds’ superiority was once again blatant, despite the final tie and a much overhauled XI. With a Joel Matip-Ibrahima Konaté hinge, flanked by Kostas Tsimikas and Joe Gomez, and Thiago Alcantara, Fabinho, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané on the bench at kick-off, the priority of the week given to the Premier League was visible. The three goals conceded, however, suggest that this choice was not very wise.
If the goal of Gonçalo Ramos (1-1, 32and) is due to an involuntary back pass from James Milner, the other two, from the Ukrainian Roman Yaremchuk (3-2, 73and) and Darwin Nunez (3-3, 82and), are due to alignment errors.
However, with an attack line made up of Roberto Firmino, surrounded by Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota, the locals’ offensive power remained very consistent and was enough to ensure qualification. As in the first leg, Konaté opened the scoring with a header and a corner (1-0, 21and). In the second half, Firmino converted, at the far post, two offerings from Diogo Jota (2-1, 55and) and Tsimikas (3-1, 65and) to put the Reds in a very comfortable position.
City eliminate Atlético to find Real
In the evening’s other quarter-final second leg, Manchester City were held 0-0 by Atlético Madrid but progressed with a 1-0 first-leg victory. After a first period rather dominated by the English club at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid, the Colchoneros were a little more dangerous in the second act.
5 minutes from the end of the match, they even created several big chances, but neither Matheus Cunha (87and), nor Luis Suarez (89and), nor Yannick Carrasco (90+4and), nor Angel Correa (90+9and) failed to find the frame.
Tempers flared as extra time entered and Felipe was sent off for a second yellow card (90+1and). Thanks to this away draw, Manchester City eliminates Atlético Madrid and will find another Madrid club, Real, in the semi-finals, after the qualification of the Merengue against Chelsea on Tuesday, with a defeat (2- 3) nevertheless sufficient after the 3-0 first leg victory.