UEFA Champions League
Liverpool survive late collapse to book Champions League semi-final spot
Liverpool booked a Champions League semi-final showdown against Villarreal as the quadruple chasers survived a late collapse in Wednesday’s (April 13) 3-3 draw against Benfica.
Jurgen Klopp’s side already had one foot in the last four after winning 3-1 in the quarter-final first leg in Lisbon.
They were on cruise control for long spells in the second leg at Anfield, but had to hold their nerve before advancing 6-4 on aggregate after an uncharacteristic meltdown in the closing stages.
Ibrahima Konate put Liverpool ahead before Goncalo Ramos equalised late in the first half.
When Roberto Firmino netted twice after the interval, the tie looked all but over.
However, Roman Yaremchuk and Darwin Nunez struck for Benfica to briefly give the visitors hope of an astonishing escape act, before Liverpool finally restored order.
The Reds will face Spanish side Villarreal in the semi-finals as they look to reach their 10th Champions League final and claim a seventh title in the competition.
Despite Villarreal’s impressive wins over Bayern Munich and Juventus in the last two rounds, Liverpool will be firm favourites to make a third Champions League final in the last five seasons.
That would put them a step closer to an incredible clean-sweep of all four major trophies in one campaign.
Significantly, Klopp was able to keep Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Virgil Van Dijk fresh as he started with his stars on the bench.
Klopp made seven changes from Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Premier League leaders Manchester City as he opted to keep his stars fresh for Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Pep Guardiola’s side at Wembley.
Inevitably, Liverpool’s much-changed line-up took a while to get into their stride after a pre-match minute’s silence to mark this Friday’s 33rd anniversary of the Hillsborough tragedy.
Firmino stars
Ironically, it was a player named after Liverpool’s rivals Everton who threatened first for Benfica when the winger curled just wide from long range.
But it wasn’t long before Liverpool flexed their muscles.
Konate had headed the opener in the first leg at Benfica and Liverpool’s towering centre-back tormented the Portuguese side with his aerial prowess again in the 21st minute.
Kostas Tsimikas whipped an outswinging corner towards Konate and he climbed above three Benfica players to head into the far corner from 10 yards.
Benfica snatched their equaliser against the run of play in the 32nd minute.
Diogo Goncalves’ pass clipped off James Milner and ran through to the unmarked Ramos, who smacked a fine finish past Alisson from just inside the area.
Any hopes of a stunning Benfica fightback seemed over when the visitors shot themselves in the foot in farcical fashion in the 55th minute.
Goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos was the instigator of Benfica’s meltdown as he fumbled what should have been an easy interception of Naby Keita’s over-hit pass.
Jan Vertonghen’s panicked attempt to clear the danger wasn’t much better and Jota crossed back into the six-yard box, where Firmino had the simple task of tapping into the empty net.
Firmino followed his first home Champions League goal for two years with another 10 minutes later.
Tsimikas curled a superb free-kick to the pass and Firmino eluded Benfica’s sloppy marking to volley home from close-range.
With Klopp’s men taking their foot off the gas, Yaremchuk struck in the 73rd minute, rounding Alisson to slot home after beating Liverpool’s offside trap.
There was a sharp intake of breath around Anfield when Nunez scored with a predatory finish in the 82nd minute.
Moments later, Nunez’s low strike tested Alisson, but Liverpool held on to keep the quadruple dream alive.
-AFP
Paris St Germain midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery became the youngest player to win two Champions League finals after featuring in Saturday’s dramatic victory over Arsenal.
The France international, who came off the bench for extra time in PSG’s 4-3 penalty shootout triumph after a 1-1 draw against Arsenal at the Puskas Arena, lifted the trophy for the second straight season at the age of 20 years and two months.
Zaire-Emery had already featured briefly in last year’s crushing 5-0 victory over Inter Milan and now surpasses former Ajax Amsterdam midfielder Johan Neeskens, who was 20 years and eight months old when he won his second European Cup final in the 1970s.
-Reuters
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Paris St Germain held their nerve in a cagey Champions League final to retain the title by beating Arsenal 4-3 on penalties as Saturday’s nail-biting showdown ended 1-1 after extra time, cementing the French side’s status among Europe’s modern greats.
Arsenal defender Gabriel blasted his spot kick over Matvey Safonov’s crossbar at the Puskas Arena, his miss confirming PSG as the first club to retain the trophy since Real Madrid completed their three-year reign from 2016 to 2018.
Long dismissed as glamorous underachievers despite vast resources, the Ligue 1 champions have now forged a dynasty under Luis Enrique, marrying attacking brilliance with resilience to establish themselves as the dominant force in European football.
“It’s stronger than last year because we knew before the match just how difficult it would be to play against Arsenal,” said Luis Enrique, whose side had thrashed Inter Milan 5-0 to claim Europe’s elite trophy for the first time.
“As a club and a city, it’s incredible to win, and I think we deserved it over the course of the season. The final was a real battle,” added the Spanish coach.
The outcome left Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice devastated but proud as his side finished their European campaign without losing a match aside from the shootout defeat in the final.
“It’s gutting. It’s devastating to lose a Champions League final on penalties,” he said. “But we try to take a lot of perspective from how far we’ve come as a group.
“An incredible season. Given it absolutely everything up until this point. We took the game to penalties. It’s a lottery.”
EUROPE’S BIGGEST STAGE
Eleven days after celebrating their first Premier League title in 22 years, Arsenal looked set for a maiden triumph on Europe’s biggest stage after Kai Havertz’s sixth-minute opener and a first hour spent smothering PSG’s vaunted attack.
However, the final became chaotic once PSG’s Ousmane Dembele equalised with a penalty in the 65th minute, the pace turning frantic before exhaustion took the match to a shootout.
Under Luis Enrique, PSG have won the six shootouts they have contested. The 56-year-old has now won 12 of the 13 one-off club finals he has overseen as a coach.
After brushing aside Premier League opposition on their way to the final by eliminating Chelsea and Liverpool, PSG were facing a much sterner test against an Arsenal team playing their second Champions League final after losing to Barcelona in 2006.
Mikel Arteta’s side took the lead when Marquinhos’ clearance bounced off Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard into the path of Havertz, who raced into the box and fired into the roof of the net.
He is the fourth player to score in two different European Cup or Champions League finals with two different clubs.
It was the nightmare scenario for PSG – trailing so early against the best defence in the competition.
Arsenal lived up to their reputation as the best team without the ball and looked perfectly content with the script, doubling up on Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and suffocating the usual danger brought by the Georgian magician on the left flank.
PSG’s Fabian Ruiz was unable to impose his usual rhythm in midfield and, despite monopolising possession for long spells, Luis Enrique’s side struggled to carve out clear-cut chances.
By halftime, PSG had attacked 32 times, Arsenal three times.
Arsenal, however, were flirting with the boundaries with their challenges, and Cristhian Mosquera brought down Kvaratskhelia in the area, with Dembele converting the penalty to equalise with his eighth goal in the competition.
MOMENTUM SHIFTS
The momentum had shifted.
Jurrien Timber and Viktor Gyokeres replaced Mosquera, and Martin Odegaard and Arsenal had a more attacking mindset but were exposed to PSG’s counterattacks, and at the end of one of them, Kvaratskhelia sped into the box, only for his left-footed effort to crash onto the outside of David Raya’s post.
After controlling the tempo in the first half, Arsenal played into PSG’s hands as the pace increased significantly, giving too much space to Kvaratskhelia or Bradley Barcola, who replaced the Georgian winger with seven minutes left.
In the 89th minute, PSG came close to giving the final an abrupt end as Vitinha’s shot grazed the top of the net. Barcola also shot over the bar after a counterattack with what would have been the last kick of the game.
With both teams having run out of steam, extra time was a cautious affair, and when referee Daniel Siebert blew his whistle, Arsenal had only managed one shot on target.
Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze missed his penalty before Raya saved Nuno Mendes’ attempt. Gabriel had to score to keep the Gunners’ hopes alive, but, facing PSG’s end, he fired over.
The French side were left to celebrate being European champions once again, with extra-time substitute Lucas Beraldo’s goal in the shootout proving to be the winner.
-Reuters
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Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique hailed his side’s resilience and consistency after the French champions retained the UEFA Champions League title with a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Arsenal following a 1-1 draw in Saturday’s final.
The Spaniard said PSG’s performances throughout the season justified their status as European champions despite being pushed to the limit by an impressive Arsenal side.
“Maybe today both teams deserved to win, but the way we played the whole season, I think we deserve to win the Champions League,” Enrique said after the match. “We are very happy and trying to be there next year – why not?”
PSG found themselves behind early after Arsenal struck first, forcing the holders to chase the game for much of the contest.
“The match started in the best way for them,” Enrique noted. “After that, they know how to defend. It was very tough. They are strong physically and very tough.”
The victory secured a second consecutive Champions League crown for PSG, a feat that delighted the coach.
“We are still champions, two in a row, it’s amazing,” he said. “Congratulations to Arsenal. It was very tough. They played great.”
Despite adding another major title to his growing collection, Enrique brushed aside suggestions that he was cementing a legendary status.
“Legend? I’m not interested in that,” he said.
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi described the achievement as even more special than the club’s maiden Champions League triumph.
“The first one was special, but winning back-to-back titles is very special for us,” he said. “We want to win again. We don’t want to stop there.”
Midfielder Joao Neves echoed those sentiments, calling his move to Paris “the best decision” of his career.
“We’ve made history at PSG, we’re all delighted,” the Portuguese international said.
Young star Desire Doue also celebrated the historic achievement, insisting the team remains hungry for further success.
“We wanted more than anything to win a second title and make history once again,” he said. “We have to stay humble. We’re going to enjoy first, and after we’re going to work again because we want more.”
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