The 2021/22 UEFA Champions League competition has reached to its last 4 stage and Two teams across England and Spain each will battle it out to set the stage for the grand finale on 28th May 2022 at Stade de France. In the 2nd Semi-final, Liverpool will lock horns with Villarreal on Wednesday night at Anfield for the 1st leg.
Liverpool vs Villarreal: Preview
In the quarterfinal stage, Liverpool defeated Benfica on an aggregate score of 6-4 to reach the last 4 stage.
Meanwhile, Villarreal have turned out to be the surprise package of the tournament. The Spanish side have knocked out Juventus in the round of 16 and stunned German giants Bayern Munich in the quarter-final.
Villarreal thumped Bayern Munich and shockingly knocked them out on an aggregate score of 2-1 in the last 8 stage.
Liverpool and Villarreal have met just twice in European competition with both sides winning their respective home legs. The Yellow Submarine haven’t managed to win in any of their previous 8 away games in England (D3, L5).
The Villarreal boss Unai Emery has faced Liverpool 5 times and those 5 fixtures produced 26 goals shared equally. Meanwhile, Emery’s Sevilla defeated Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in the 2016 UEFA Europa League final.
Liverpool will play in their 12th semi-final of the Europen competition and the English side have played more than that. The Reds are now on par with Manchester United in terms of the number of Europen Semi-final.
Moreover, the Reds are in red hot form as it is the first time in the club’s history that Liverpool are in the semi-final of FA Cup, League Cup, and European Cup in the same campaign.
Although the stats favour Liverpool but Villarreal have shown they can produce upsets in the UCL.
Predicted XI
Liverpool
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Thiago; Salah, Mane, Diaz
Villarreal
Rulli; Foyth, Albiol, Torres, Estupinan; Parejo, Coquelin, Capoue; Lo Celso; Chukwueze, Danjuma.
