LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Thursday, May 5, 2016: Liverpool and Villarreal players shake hands before the UEFA Europa League Semi-Final 2nd Leg match at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Dates and info for Liverpool’s Champions League semi-final vs. Villarreal

Liverpool will face Spanish side Villarreal in the Champions League semi-finals after overcoming Benfica in the quarter-finals.

Jurgen Klopp‘s side are into the last four of the Champions League for the third time in five seasons after seeing off Benfica 6-4 on aggregate.

It was a crazy second leg at Anfield, with the Portuguese visitors twice pegging the Reds back to draw 3-3, as striker Darwin Nunez saw a number of finishes ruled out for offside.

But victory was secured, and Liverpool are now on to the semi-finals, where Villarreal await.

 

When are the semi-finals?

The draw for the quarters and semi-finals were made at the same time, with the actual dates now confirmed by UEFA.

Liverpool will be at home for the first leg, which will be played on Wednesday, April 27.

The Reds will then travel to El Madrigal for the second leg on Tuesday, May 3.

 

How did Villarreal book their place?

VILLRREAL, SPAIN - Thursday, April 28, 2016: A general view of Estadio El Madrigal ahead of the UEFA Europa League Semi-Final 1st Leg match between Villarreal CF and Liverpool. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

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?

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Thursday, May 5, 2016: Liverpool's players line up for a team group photograph before the UEFA Europa League Semi-Final 2nd Leg match against Villarreal CF at Anfield. Back row L-R: Adam Lallana, Daniel Sturridge, Kolo Toure, Dejan Lovren, goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, Roberto Firmino, Emre Can. Front row L-R: Alberto Moreno, James Milner, Philippe Coutinho Correia, Nathaniel Clyne. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

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 the final?

PARIS, FRANCE - Thursday, November 9, 2017: Wales' xxxx during a training session at the Stade de France ahead of the international friendly match against France. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

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.