Liverpool knock out Man City: can they go on to win the Champions League?

Apr 11, 2018

Jurgen Klopp’s side secure a spot in the semi-finals after a 5-1 aggregate win

Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino celebrates his winner against Manchester City

Manchester City 1 Liverpool 2 (Liverpool win 5-1 on aggregate)

Liverpool have reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in ten years after beating Manchester City 5-1 on aggregate in the last-eight tie.

After winning 3-0 in the first-leg at Anfield last week, Jurgen Klopp’s side travelled to the Etihad Stadium and secured a memorable 2-1 victory last night.

Gabriel Jesus had given City hope with a goal after two minutes, but Liverpool strikers Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino scored in the second-half to send the travelling fans wild.

Salah’s goal was his 39th of the season. With a striker in such red-hot form Liverpool won’t fear anyone in the Champions League semi-finals.

Speaking after the victory at the Etihad, Klopp praised his side’s performance over the two legs. He told the BBC: “We scored five against Man City and only conceded one. These numbers are usually not possible.

“The boys found a solution in the second half. We had two or three opportunities in the first half already, so it was easy for me and the boys to see the development of the game. We had come through the whirlwind.”

Can Liverpool win the Champions League?

Writing on the BBC, Phil McNulty asks the question: can Liverpool go all the way? With Roma also through, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich will look to complete the semi-final line-up tonight following their second-leg ties against Juventus and Sevilla respectively.

With Salah, Firmino and Sadio Mane up top, Klopp’s side “have the quality in attack to trouble any of the defences left in the Champions League”, says McNulty.

He added: “Liverpool cannot match the experience of battle-hardened Champions League campaigners like Real and Bayern. However, the potency of their attack, their growing momentum and the history that gives the club a sense of destiny in this competition means they will have high hopes of lifting the trophy for a sixth time.”

Belief is key for Liverpool

BBC Radio 5 live pundit Chris Waddle says that Liverpool “will not be scared of anyone left in the Champions League”, but the former England winger believes the Reds would “prefer to avoid” Real Madrid in the semi-finals.

ESPN’s Mark Ogden says that Liverpool’s Champions League history is a big plus point for the Merseyside club. “Belief is a big word in football, and Liverpool have never lacked self-confidence and conviction in the Champions League - and European Cup before that - even when seemingly faced with the impossible,” said Ogden.

“Their players are often driven on by the club’s supporters, especially those with memories of final wins in Rome [twice], London, Paris and Istanbul, and they played their part during this emphatic, two-legged victory over the Premier League’s champions-elect.”

Beware of Roma

While Waddle says Liverpool won’t want to face the prospect of playing Real Madrid in the last-four, Serie A specialist James Horncastle believes Roma’s superb win against Barcelona has sent out a shock wave across Europe.

Quoted by the Daily Express, Horncastle said: “They’ve won every single [Champions League] game at the Olimpico this season without conceding a single goal and that’s coming up against the likes of [Eden] Hazard, [Antoine] Griezmann, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez. Be careful what you wish for Liverpool fans. Underestimate them [Roma] at your peril.”