At 3:00 a.m. Beijing time on April 28, the first leg of the 2021-22 Champions League semi-finals: Liverpool, one of the top champions, hosted Villarreal, the biggest dark horse in the Champions League this season.
On the previous matchday, Manchester City narrowly beat Real Madrid 4-3 at home. What will be the result of this other group of British and Spanish duels?
Liverpool started 433, With Mane, Luis Díaz and Salah forming a forward trident, midfielders Thiago, Fabinho and Henderson, defenders Robertson, Van Dijk, Conat, Arnold and goalkeeper Alisson. The total value of the starting eleven is as high as 620 million euros.
Villarreal started 442, Danjuma and Chukwuze double forwards, midfielders Corquelin, Parejo, Capué and Lo Celso, four defenders Estupina, Paul Torres, Albior, Foys and goalkeeper Rulli. The total value of the starting eleven is also 200 million euros.
After the game opened, Liverpool went on the offensive. In the 5th minute, Fabinho's diagonal pass was met by Robertson's header that went high. In the 11th minute, Salah's cross from the right was met by Mane's header that went out of the box.
In the 21st minute, Thiago's long pass and Henderson's pass came to goal, hitting the upright and popping up.
In the 26th minute, Mane's cross from the right side of the penalty area was followed by Salah and pushed high over the crossbar.
In the 27th minute, Alexander-Arnold was brought down by Corqueline and Liverpool won a free-kick in front of him, and Alexander-Arnold's direct shot was blocked by the wall.
In the 34th minute, Robertson's long pass, Arnold's direct cross, Salah's shot high.
In the 35th minute, Villarreal's attack, Lo Celso's volley from inside the penalty area, flew away.
In the 41st minute, Thiago fired a long-range shot that hit the upright and popped up.
Judging from the situation in the first half, although Villarreal was passively beaten, the defense was very good, and Liverpool attacked fiercely, but there was no way to take the yellow submarine defense.
In the 45th minute, Salah's cross from the right was met by Paul Torres' header that almost scored.
In the 49th minute, Liverpool's corner kick was opened and Fabinho scored, but the referee signaled that the ball was offside.
In the 52nd minute, Salah was straight in the air and Henderson's cross from the right bounced off the post and hit Estupina and Rulli pounced on it but still couldn't stop the ball from going into the net. Liverpool led Villarreal 1-0.
After breaking the deadlock, Liverpool attacked in a frenzy. In the 55th minute, Salah was brilliantly plugged in, and Mane stabbed inside the penalty area and stabbed the ball in. Liverpool extended the score to 2-0.
In the 65th minute, Robertson received a pass from Alexander-Arnold and broke the goal, which was invalidated due to offside.
In the 72nd minute, Liverpool made a substitution adjustment and Mane was replaced by Jota.
In the 86th minute, Albior had a long pass from the back and Dia's shot was confiscated by Alisson.
In the end, Liverpool beat Villarreal 2-0 at home to take advantage of the promotion. For Villarreal, the biggest dark horse in the Champions League this season, their dark horse journey is likely to end after the second leg. The home goal difference of more than 2 goals over Liverpool is too difficult for Emery's team.