Liverpool have secured another Champions League final after they came from two goals down to beat home team Villarreal 3-2 in the second leg of their Champions League semifinal tie. The two teams met for the second leg at the El Madrigal just six days after the first leg which ended in a 2-0 win for the Reds thanks to the goals from PervisEstupinan (own goal) and Sadio Mane within two second half minutes.
Villarreal made a dream start in the second leg thanks to the third minute strike from BoulayeDia off the assist from Frenchman Etienne Capoue. The Spanish La Ligaclub scored a second goal four minutes before halftime through Frenchman Francis Coquelin who knows a lot about Liverpool having spent several years in England while playing for Arsenal. Capoue also provided the goal for Coquelin to ensure that Villarreal drew level with Liverpool in the tie.
Liverpool had a very poor first half which allowed their hosts back into the tie. However, they were a different team in the second half after one substitution and the halftime team talk from manager JurgenKlopp. Colombian star Luis Diaz came on for the ineffective Diogo Jota and he was the major reason for the Liverpool comeback. He has been an important player since swapping Portugal for England during the winter transfer window. He has scored five goals since moving to England from FC Porto in January.
Brazil international Fabinho started the comeback for Liverpool in the second half just after the hour mark before Luis Diaz scored the equaliserfive minutes later. Senegalese international Mane sealed the win in the 74th minute against a Villarreal side who finished the game with ten men after Capoue was sent off for two yellow cards with five minutes left. With the win in the second leg, Liverpool were able to seal a 5-2 aggregate win.