Liverpool 3 Villarreal 0 (Liverpool progress 3-1 on aggregate)
Liverpool stand defiant in the face of Spanish football’s dominance of Europe. The Champions League final may be an all-Madrid affair but Jürgen Klopp’s team prevented La Liga following suit in the Europa League version by swatting aside Villarreal. Sevilla stand in the way of a fourth victory in the competition for the Anfield club and a ticket back into the Champions League.
Liverpool's 200th win in European competition arrived in emphatic style. Bruno Soriano's own goal levelled the tie early on as Klopp's team laid siege to the Villarreal goal before second-half strikes from Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana completed the job. Liverpool become only the fourth Premier League team to reach the Europa League final in the past 10 seasons and the first since Chelsea won the competition with Rafael Benítez in 2013. Victory also ensured a second final appearance in only seven months of the Klopp era and kept Liverpool on course for their ninth major European trophy.
The intensity of the occasion had Klopp thumping his chest during the warm-up. The atmosphere was charged not only by the frenzied welcome that the Liverpool team bus received as it inched along Anfield Road, but also last week’s verdicts from the Hillsborough inquests. A mosaic reading “96 – The Greatest Football Family” covered three sides of the ground before the first home game since it was concluded the 96 were unlawfully killed. What followed in the semi-final lived up to Anfield’s expectations.
Liverpool tore into Villarreal from the start, unsettled them, gave them no time to build from the back or through their assured captain Soriano and punished them to level the tie inside eight minutes. It helped that Marcelino’s bizarre rotation policy with his goalkeepers resulted in Alphonse Areola starting in place of Sergio Asenjo. His unconvincing opening spread almost as much anxiety through the visiting defence as Liverpool’s front four.
Accused of over-caution in the first leg, Klopp had argued it would have been self-destructive to open up against a team bettered by only Barcelona, Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid in Spain. His gameplan had covered both legs from the outset, in terms of selection and tempo, and there were no accusations of conservatism at Anfield, where the Liverpool manager loaded his attack and gave Sturridge his first start in four Europa League games. The aim to prey on a Villarreal defence missing the influential but injured Eric Bailly was clear from the team sheet, and Liverpool sought to exploit the Spanish club’s vulnerability on crosses at every opportunity.
Liverpool's crossing undermined them at El Madrigal, Klopp had claimed, but it was remedied quickly in the return. The fit-again and impressive Emre Can released Nathaniel Clyne and when his dangerous low cross arrowed in from the right, Areola could only parry the ball into the path of Roberto Firmino. It was the second of three slips by the Villarreal keeper in the opening 10 minutes. Firmino turned the ball back into a crowded six-yard area where Sturridge failed to connect cleanly but his effort struck Soriano and sailed over the line.
Villarreal were visibly unnerved. They were dangerous when they did break out but were rarely able to. Simon Mignolet saved well from Mario Gasper and Jonathan Dos Santos blazed over when Cédric Bakambu’s run presented him with an excellent chance seconds before Liverpool’s opener. But with Lallana relentless in his pressing – the watching Dirk Kuyt would have been impressed with his tireless display – Can and James Milner dominant in central midfield and Firmino’s movement a constant distraction, Villarreal struggled to match Liverpool’s control of the contest.
Lallana could have doubled Liverpool’s lead from an astute pass by Milner, who received possession following an excellent tackle by Dejan Lovren on Bakambu, but swept wide of the far post. It needed a vital header at the back post from Tomas Pina to prevent Can connecting with a Milner corner, and both Víctor Ruiz and Roberto Soldado were booked as Villarreal’s composure deserted them.
The one concern for Klopp at half-time, and hope for Marcelino, was the aggregate scoreline. Liverpool had dictated the rhythm and flow of the game but remained vulnerable to a counter-attacking team in need of an away goal without a commanding lead.
Bakambu, the second highest goalscorer in this season’s Europa League with nine goals, shot tamely at Mignolet when beating Lovren to Dos Santos’ pass. The midfielder also created a chance for Soldado but the former Tottenham striker headed well wide when unmarked at an inviting free-kick.
Liverpool’s pressing and the atmosphere both dropped at the start of the second half. Klopp sensed it too. After Areola saved from Sturridge’s angled drive the Liverpool manager implored the crowd to raise their game. Within seconds, Firmino and Sturridge raised Liverpool’s lead.
Villarreal appeared to have cleared the danger when Lallana’s cross from the right dropped to Firmino and several yellow shirts crowded the Brazilian. He reacted magnificently, controlling on his chest and taking three defenders out of the game with a first-time pass to Sturridge. The striker converted off the inside of a post and celebrated with uncharacteristic abandon, as well he might. Firmino was outstanding and produced another showpiece to leave Gaspar trailing moments later.
Villarreal could still advance with an away goal but their prospects nose-dived when Ruiz was sent off for a second bookable offence, catching Lallana late. It was all over for the visitors when Firmino destroyed Gasper again down the right and crossed for Sturridge, who was unable to connect but steered the ball through for Lallana to convert at close range.
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