Drawing on the big package of Benfica, Liverpool has actually entered the quarterfinals with one foot.
This is not a light enemy, Benfica can break through from the group stage this season, and even knock out Ajax in the Champions League 1/8 final, can only be explained by good luck. The team's top scorer, Núñez, was so strong that Benfica was beaten by Ajax in Armstrong, and the 22-year-old striker was lucky enough to advance to the quarterfinals.
When the strength is not enough as a support, good luck will be used up sooner or later. The gap between The strength of Liverpool and Benfica is naturally quite obvious, if nothing else, just look at the 2 centre-backs in the Benfica back line - Otamendi and Verhentong, you will understand that this defense line, which is full of holes in the Portuguese Premier League, simply cannot withstand the destruction of Liverpool, which has the strongest offensive firepower in Europe this season.
Moreover, how can the rookie coach Verisimo, who only took office in the middle of the season, be compared to Klopp? In last weekend's Premier League match, Klopp hid Arnold and Luis Díaz in preparation for the first leg of the match – stepping up the attack on the flanks and tearing benfica's aging defence with speed and strength.
If nothing else, leaving Luis Díaz, a ruthless man with a Porto background, to Benfica is enough to see Klopp's old ways. However, Verisimo did not tie his hands, and in the cheers of tens of thousands of Eagles fans on the Stadium of Light, he pulled out to fight Klopp.
Courage, although commendable, is right in the middle. Klopp looked at the prairie behind Verhenton and Otamendi and was overjoyed. Therefore, under the rapid offensive of the Red Army, the back line of the Lisbon Eagles was frequently anxious.
Keita can insert into the hinterland to stage a continuous unguarded header to attack the goal, Benfica's defense is full of holes, fortunately the Guinean midfielder is not tall, otherwise Benfica's goal would have been smashed out of a big hole.
Keita is not tall, but the Reds have tall header masters. In the 17th minute, Cornett crossed Keita, a lion's head flicked in the drylands, and the ball bounced into the net, bringing the entire stadium of light into silence. Cornett indulged in kneeling to celebrate, but his limelight was snatched up by fabinho, who was also slippery, with the Brazilian back smashing the lawn of the Stadium of Light out of two pits, and one rolling forward into history.
After another 17 minutes, Díaz, who was hated by Benfica fans, received a long pass from Arnold and used a header to pull Benfica's defense into the neutral, and Mane pushed the empty goal from close range.
The goal was scored so easily that Mane was not excited at all, and actually celebrated with his teammates in blackface, and the essence of this game was all after the goal. As a Portuguese Super League giant, Benfica fans undoubtedly understand the ball, according to the situation in the first half, this game is most likely to go to the rhythm of spending.
However, Klopp's high-level pressing tactics have a fatal flaw - it is difficult to maintain a high-intensity, high-confrontation rhythm at all times. This also led to the Reds often habitually slacking off after taking the lead, being seized by opponents. After Benfica stepped up his counterattack in the second half, this problem almost caused Liverpool to lose a good game.
A simple break, Cornett can be kicked, Nunez a sword to seal the throat, the score was 1-2. However, just as Benfica was reinvigorating hope for the game, the man they hated to the bone jumped out again.
Keita's direct pass, Díaz successfully countered the offside, dribbled the ball straight into the box, swung past the goalkeeper and pushed the empty goal to win, locking the score to 3-1, and basically ending the suspense of promotion.
Díaz, with 1 pass and 1 shot, became the best in the game and became the most hated person for Benfica fans, and when he celebrated after scoring, the Benfica fans threw out the stick in anger...
The Champions League knockout round was a home-and-away two-legged 180-minute matchup, but it was clear that it took Liverpool just 90 minutes to end the suspense. Klopp can safely prepare for the weekend battle against Manchester City for the title of King's Mountain, and the only thing to worry about is probably the state of the Egyptian pharaoh Salah...