Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino scored a brace against Benfica on Wednesday to take his overall Champions League tally to 20 goals.
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Roberto Firmino scored a brace against Benfica in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final tie to help Liverpool secure a 3-3 draw at Anfield on Wednesday. The result helped the Reds to book a place in the semi-finals of the competition with a 6-4 aggregate victory. The first leg in Lisbon had ended 3-1 in favour of the Premier League side and now they will face Villarreal in the final four on April 27.
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Firmino, who was making only his second Champions League start of the season netted his first of the night on 55 minutes by tapping in from Diogo Jota’s assist. And then, ten minutes later, the Brazilian completed his brace by slotting home from Konstantinos Tsimikas’s free-kick.
Both of his strikes were typical centre-forwards goals as he timed his run to perfection and was present at the right spot at the right time. His movement, composure in front of goal and finishing were world class to say the least.
The two strikes helped the 30-year-old to become only the fourth Liverpool player to score 20 goals in the Champions League. It was his fifth Champions League goal of the season from six appearances, of which four have been from the bench. Firmino has joined Mohamad Salah, Sadio Mane and Steven Gerard as Reds players to reach the mark.
? Liverpool players to score 20+ goals in the #UCL era:
⚽️3⃣6⃣ Mohamed Salah
⚽️2⃣2⃣ Sadio Mané
⚽️2⃣1⃣ Steven Gerrard
⚽️2⃣0⃣ Roberto Firmino pic.twitter.com/hnpqWMPeb6— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 13, 2022
Firmino joined Liverpool from TSG Hoffenheim in 2015 and has grown into an unorthodox centre-forward, who lets his strike-partners flourish. The Reds’ success over the last few years have been largely credited to Mohammad Salah and Sadio Mane, but Firmino has been the unsung hero in the team.
When Jurgen Klopp’s side won the Champions League in 2019, Firmino was a vital cog in the team as he netted four times in 12 appearances. More than the number of goals, his off-the-ball movements created spaces for the likes of Salah and Sane to exploit.
The following season, Firmino continued his consistent performances. He once again played a crucial role in the Reds lifting the Premier League title. He found the back of the net nine times and registered eight assists in 38 appearances. Meanwhile his strike partners Salah and Mane scored a whopping19 and 18 goals respectively.
Although the Brazilian doesn’t have the stats to make him great, it is his unselfishness and willingness to work for the team that makes him a great team guy.
Since the emergence of Jota, Firmino has been pushed to the bench. This campaign, he has made just nine league starts, scoring five goals and registering three assists. Even though he is not getting enough game time, the 30-year-old comes up with impressive performances whenever given the opportunity.
