Jürgen Klopp and Liverpool did it: In a gripping second leg against Benfica, the English club qualified for the semi-finals of the premier class. The coach then found clear words.
In the end, Jürgen Klopp didn’t really care about anything. There was only one thing that interested the Liverpool coach after the 3-3 win against Benfica Lisbon: getting into the semi-finals of the Champions League – even if the “Reds” had to tremble at the end (Read more about it here).
“I couldn’t be happier,” said the 54-year-old after the game at DAZN. “If the day comes that my team qualifies for the semi-finals and I’m not happy, please smack me.” Pep Guardiola was also happy in the end, although the Manchester City coach also had to worry in a heated final phase at Atlético Madrid (0-0) (Read more about it here).
Benfica hit back – Klopp had to tremble
Thanks to goals from ex-Leipziger Ibrahima Konaté (21st minute) and former Hoffenheimer Roberto Firmino (55th/65th), everything at Anfield was actually heading towards a sovereign success. Liverpool had already won the first leg in Lisbon 3-1. But then Benfica hit back. Gonçalo Ramos (32′) was initially only able to equalize in the meantime, later Roman Yaremchuk (73′) and Darwin Núñez (82′) scored. Anfield fell silent for a moment. But it wasn’t enough anymore. “They were here to have fun, they had that – but we’re still through. And that’s cool,” said Klopp.
In Madrid, too, things got really heated at the end: formation of a pack, 13 minutes of stoppage time, yellow-red for Atlético defender Felipe (90+2) – the German referee Daniel Siebert had a lot of work to do. “We knew it wasn’t easy to play here. There’s a heated atmosphere here,” said City defender John Stones. Nevertheless, Guardiola’s team is also in the round of the top four teams after the 1-0 win in the first leg and is now dreaming of winning the premier class for the first time.
Pep Guardiola (right): The Manchester City coach gives instructions to Riyad Mahrez. (Source: NurPhoto/imago images)
Pep Guardiola now meets Real Madrid
City now meets Real Madrid in the semifinals. The semi-finals will take place on 26./27. April (first legs) and 3./4. May (second leg) instead. But Guardiola was initially happy to have cleared the first hurdle in the Spanish capital. “These opponents are so strong. All Champions League teams come here and suffer,” said the Catalan. “It’s important that we made progress.”
In the next round, Liverpool will play against Bayern conquerors FC Villarreal. But Klopp will not underestimate the Spaniards. “If you throw Bayern and Juventus out, you have to be in the semi-finals,” said the former BVB coach. And then he praised the coach of the upcoming opponent: “Unai Emery is a bit the king of the cup competitions.”
Liverpool last won the Champions League in 2019. Real Madrid won the pot three times between 2016 and 2019. Villarreal FC and Manchester City were denied this triumph, but both teams could end up playing against each other in the final.