Unai Emery has admitted Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool side are unrecognisable from the team he beat in the Europa League final the first time he locked horns with the Reds back in 2016.
Then in charge of Sevilla, the Spaniard led his side to a 3-1 victory despite trailing to a Daniel Sturridge strike at half-time, with Liverpool failing to qualify for the Champions League as a result.
However, the Reds have qualified for Europe's elite tournament every season since then and, having beaten Emery's Villarreal team 2-0 at Anfield on Wednesday night are on the verge of reaching a third final in five years.
And the former Arsenal manager paid tribute to Klopp when reflecting on how his German counterpart has transformed Liverpool's fortunes in recent years.
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"They progress a lot. We played against Liverpool with Sevilla in the Europa League final in 2016. We won and they lost," he told reporters. "They were out of Europe, in the league and in the final of Europa.
"And then they worked with this coach and a lot of players that played, played tonight and others they signed. They have a good team around Jurgen Klopp. Characteristics is to Klopp's taste. Good players, they signed good players with skills like Thiago.
"I think they improve a lot and now they are in the best moment and can win this competition. The power tonight was enough. But we will try next week to do something different. We will have different options and try to get a better result after this 2-0."
Emery was also impressed by the atmosphere at Anfield on Wednesday night as he paid tribute to the vocal Villarreal fans who made the trip.
"We know Liverpool supporters are amazing," he said. "Here, the atmosphere, the stadium was full. It's incredible and good for them. Our supporters are less but they came here to share with us this moment.
"For them it was amazing to be here in Liverpool. A good moment for football in Villarreal."
