Real Madrid moved into the semi-finals of the Champions League after their makeshift defence held on for 0-0 second-leg draw with Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday (April 14) to full a 3-1 mixture win. The Spanish aspect will face Chelsea within the last four as they seek for their fifth Champions League title in eight years.
Liverpool, the 2019 Champions League winners, created sufficient probabilities within the opening 45 minutes to have turned the tie round however they ran out of concepts within the second half. Juergen Klopp had hoped {that a} disappointing Premier League marketing campaign could possibly be compensated for with some finish of season European pleasure however his aspect nonetheless look effectively wanting the thrills they produced up to now two seasons.
“You always need the key moments. We didn’t lose the tie tonight, we lost in Madrid. We didn’t score and then the experience of Real Madrid played the tie out,” stated Klopp.
“We love this competition and for other reasons it is very important we are back in it. We can now concentrate on the Premier League and we will.”
With no crowd at Anfield, this was by no means going to be a dramatic and emotional evening just like the memorable comeback victory over Barcelona two years in the past however Klopp will certainly really feel that an opportunity of progress was missed in opposition to a weakened Real with out skipper Sergio Ramos and his central defensive companion Raphael Varane.
Liverpool got here out with intent and aggression and shortly had Real on the again foot. Sadio Mane fed Mohamed Salah for an early probability however the Egyptian shot straight at Thibaut Courtois, who saved together with his legs. Klopp had clearly focused Real’s stand-in right-back Federico Valverde as a possible weak spot and the Uruguayan struggled to address Mane within the opening levels.
A flowing attacking transfer, paying homage to Liverpool at their greatest, ended with a curling shot from James Milner which Courtois did effectively to tip broad. But Liverpool had their very own defensive vulnerabilities uncovered within the twentieth minute when Nathaniel Phillips was robbed by Karim Benzema and the Frenchman weaved his means into the field earlier than his deflected shot struck the submit.
Salah then had one other opening however scooped his shot, from a promising place, excessive and broad after which the most effective probability of the half fell to Georginio Wijnaldum – after good work from Trent Alexender-Arnold, the Dutchman leaned again and put his shot effectively over the bar.
The house strain continued after the break with Roberto Firmino testing Courtois on the close to submit with a high-quality shot on the flip. Klopp threw on Diogo Jota and Thiago Alcantara on the hour searching for the breakthrough however it so almost got here on the different finish – Alisson Becker doing effectively to race off his line to foil Vinicius Jr after which smother Benzema’s follow-up.
Real have been in no temper to collapse and Liverpool didn’t have the inspiration wanted to open them up and whereas their show was creditable, they may not do sufficient to make up for his or her defensive errors within the first leg loss. Neither of those sides have been at their peak in these two-legs, each exhibiting the results of accidents and the robust schedule this season, however it’s the 13-times European champions who deservedly progressed.
Klopp has been with out Virgil van Dijk all through this marketing campaign and he is not going to miss the irony in shedding out to a staff additionally lacking their high defenders.
“We had some huge absences, Ramos and Varane are two pillars of this team,” stated Real’s Brazilian midfielder Casemiro. “But Nacho and (Eder) Militao confirmed they’re adequate to play for us too, they hold proving they’ve what it takes to play for Real Madrid.
“We knew it was going to be difficult considering who we were playing, we know how hard it is to play here, but the team did a fantastic job and every player played their part.”
