Confirmed dates for LFC’s Champions League semi-finals vs. Villarreal

UEFA have now confirmed fixture dates for the two Champions League semi-final legs against Villarreal, with Liverpool at home for the first leg on April 27.

The Reds booked their place in the final four with a 6-4 aggregate victory over Benfica, though it came after a whirlwind 3-3 draw at Anfield on Wednesday night.

With Villarreal having already clinched their spot the previous evening, Jurgen Klopp‘s players already knew who they would be facing.

It was unconfirmed at final whistle, though, exactly when they would be meeting the Spanish side – but UEFA have now released dates for the two ties.

Liverpool will host the first leg at Anfield on Wednesday, April 27, while the decider will take place at El Madrigal on Tuesday, May 3.

Both ties will be kick off at 8pm.

The first leg, therefore, sits between the Merseyside derby at Anfield and the trip to Newcastle in the Premier League, while the second leg falls three days after the clash at St James’ Park.

It continues a ridiculously busy end to the season in which Liverpool are still chasing three more trophies.

 

How did Villarreal book their place?

Unai Emery’s side upset the odds to overcome Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals, 2-1 on aggregate.

Before that, they’d stunned Juventus with a 4-1 aggregate win in the last 16.

They advanced from their group in second place, behind Man United, with three wins and a draw from their six games.

The Spaniards lost both games against United in the group, 2-0 at home and 2-1 at Old Trafford.

They did, though, beat United in the Europa League final last season, 11-10 on penalties.

That was Emery’s fourth Europa League title, having led Sevilla to three consecutive wins between 2014 and 2016.

 

What happened last time against Villarreal?

The last time Liverpool faced Villarreal was also in a semi-final and was en route to the Reds facing Emery’s Sevilla in the 2016 Europa League final.

In what was Klopp’s first season in charge, the Reds lost the away leg 1-0, before a raucous Anfield roared them to a 3-0 thrashing back at Anfield and a 3-1 win on aggregate.

The LFC lineup that night: Mignolet; Clyne, Toure, Lovren, Moreno; Can, Milner, Lallana; Coutinho, Firmino, Sturridge

 

And when is the final?

The final takes place in Paris at the Stade de France on Saturday, May 28 – six days after the final game of the Premier League season.

Liverpool or Villarreal will face either Real Madrid or Man City, who contest the other semi-final.

The Reds won European Cup number three against Real in Paris in 1981.

Real are record 13-time winners of the European Cup, having last contested a final against Liverpool in 2018.

Liverpool have won the European Cup six times, more than any other British club, and last won it in 2019.

Man City have never won the Champions League or European Cup.