Liverpool claimed a 2-0 win over Villarreal in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday night.
The Reds claimed the victory thanks a Pervis Estupinan own goal followed by a Sadio Mane strike in the second half, which settled the tie. Jurgen Klopp’s side will now travel to Newcastle United in the Premier League this Saturday before taking on Villarreal in the return leg at the Estadio de la Ceramica next Tuesday.
The winner will go on to face Real Madrid or Manchester City in the final in Paris at the end of next month. That match ended 4-3 to City after the first leg on Tuesday night. Plenty of Spanish news outlets were at Anfield to watch Liverpool's win over Villarreal. Here is a round-up of what they thought...
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Juan Ignacio Garcia-Ochoa, via Marca
“Jurgen Klopp has put together a Liverpool side which dominated against Villarreal who managed to keep a clean sheet in the first half but were outclassed after the break.
“The Reds are close to clinching qualification to the Champions League final as a comeback in the return leg seems impossible.
“Villarreal's 3.000 fans made their presence felt at Anfield throughout the game, with their behaviour at the stands being exemplary, as they didn't stop cheering for the team.
“Don Jurgen Klopp"
“Villarreal resisted in the first half, but after the break they couldn't do much against a clearly superior Liverpool side. The Reds have a squad full of talented players who are impressing under the guidance of the finest coach in the world.
“Thiago Alcantara is back"
“The Spain international is going through his best moment at Liverpool. He struggled to adapt to the Premier League, but he has managed to rediscover his form. Thiago almost scored a great goal with a shot from 30 metres, but the ball crashed against the crossbar. It would have been one of best the goals of the Champions League this season.”
Albert Viladegut, via El Nacional
“Liverpool deservedly prevailed in the first leg of the Champions League semi finals against Villarreal (2-0), which they held on until the break. An own goal and another by Mané stained the tie in red, but the 'groguets' will be looking for an epic comeback at La Cerámica.
“Those of Unai Emery have always wanted to avoid the idea that they travelled to Liverpool to see them come. Mediatically, this was the idea that most have had since the qualifiers began. First, they stormed the Juventus stadium and then they broke the bank by shutting out Bayern, also in the opposite field. And now, for the first time, Villarreal played as a visitor in the first leg.
“In the first half of one of the most important matches in the club's history, they have shown the enormous maturity that they transmit, from Rulli under the sticks, to Danjuma or Samu Chukwueze. Despite the significant loss of Gerard Moreno, the 'groguets' have jumped onto the Anfield pitch with the clear mentality that they knew they would have to suffer a lot, but that it would be worth it. And so the entire first half unfolded.
“Until exactly half an hour into the match, local arrivals were constant but did not generate too much danger, until first Mané with a shot that after playing in Albiol was poisoned, then Salah with a volley that Lo Celso deflected for a corner, and finally Thiago with a distant shot that has found the post, they could have undone the initial 0-0. After the usual avalanche from Liverpool, the people from Castellón have been able to resist to close the first of the four parts of the tie without movement.”
Julian Burgos, via AS
“Villarreal left Anfield standing. Staggering and with deep wounds, after being buffeted viciously by a rampaging Liverpool in the second half. But in the end, standing up. And wanting to continue fighting in the best competition in the world. Henderson, with a lot of luck, and Mané [struck for Liverpool]. Overcoming this advantage to the fittest team in Europe seems like a very difficult task. But this Villarreal has shown they can handle everything in this Champions League. With Gerard Moreno recovered, there may be a loophole to turn the tie around in six days.
“At times, bad memories came back to Villarreal. Those of 2016, in which in another semifinal, the Submarine was swallowed by Anfield. At the beginning of the second half, hardly being able to get past the midfield, the yellow team was easy prey in the hands of a red cannibal who threatened to leave the pass to the final more than finished. But going back to the script of the first part, the Castellón team resisted. Until Klopp took out the calculator and preferred to travel to Spain with a two-goal advantage and not risk receiving a goal from Villarreal that would have been a real disaster for them after a more than remarkable match.”
Imma Mentruit, via Mundo Deportivo
“Villarreal, who dreams of playing in their first Champions League final, will need to come back from a 2-0 deficit on May 3 at the La Cerámica stadium, in the semi-final second leg against Liverpool, to be in Paris on the 28th. But, by game, by occasions, it can be said that Villarreal came out of Anfield alive this Wednesday and that the result was the best news for the team led by Unai Emery, who had no chance to score.
“Liverpool, with a great Thiago Alcántara (MVP of the match), started the first half at full speed, under pressure, attacking non-stop, a common scenario in the 'reds' matches, but Villarreal resisted. Unai Emery's team (which in 2005-06 won a Europa League final against Liverpool with Sevilla, already led by Jürgen Klopp) knew how to defend themselves successfully and managed to lower the revolutions of the 'reds'. The 'groguets' attacked the bands and forced the 'reds' to look for their chances from outside.”
