Villarreal are the giant-killers in this year's competition, having overcome Juventus and Bayern Munich in the previous rounds to make it to the final four.
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Villarreal head coach Unai Emery says this is “the best Liverpool that I have known”, but the Spanish coach will use that as a motivation to succeed. The Yellow Submarine will travel to Anfield for the first leg of the champions League semi-final fixture on Wednesday. Villarreal are the giant-killers in this year’s competition, having overcome Juventus and Bayern Munich in the previous rounds to make it to the final four for only the second time in their history.
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Returning to Anfield six years later ????????.
We’re playing another semi-final, this time in the @ChampionsLeague.#UCL
— Villarreal CF English (@VillarrealCFen) April 25, 2022
In the quarter-finals, Villarreal defeated 2020 champions Bayern 2-1 on aggregate to go through to the last four. Arnaut Danjuma’s lone strike separated the two sides at El Madrigal while Samuel Chukwueze’s late strike canceled out Robert Lewandowski’s opener in the second leg at Allianz Arena.
On the other hand, Liverpool defeated Benfica 6-4 on aggregate to enter the semi-finals. Jurgen Klopp’s side is well on course to secure four trophies in a single season. The Reds have already won the 2022 EFL cup, currently placed second in the Premier League standings, just one point behind Manchester City, and will take on Chelsea in the FA cup final next month.
“They have a very clear identity at Anfield,” said Emery.”It’s Liverpool, I think it’s the best Liverpool that I have known, but I take that as motivation to play the perfect game and to beat Liverpool at their best.”
Emery’s defensive gameplan has been crucial to the team’s success in Champions League. The Spaniard has set up the team with a very strong defensive unit that is capable of sitting deep, maintaining compactness and hitting the opposition on the counter.
“Liverpool know that we are here because we have been able to compete,” continued Emery. “For us, that means the challenge is greater. We’re playing the favourites but we want to be us and to play on the front foot,” he said.
“The journey does not have to end, we want to be in charge, to create chances. In normal conditions they are superior to us, but we have our own ideas, individually and as a team, to allow us to compete.”
Liverpool’s attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota has been in tremendous goal-scoring form, having scored a combined 51 league goals so far. Therefore Emery’s defence will have to be at their best to hold off the Reds. Once again the onus will be on captain Raul Albiol to marshal the back four consisting of Pau Torres, Foyth and Pervis Estupinan.
