As Benfica’s white shirts danced at Anfield Road End, the Liverpool players were already in the locker room and their emotions may well have been mixed. As Jordan Henderson put it: “There are things we can improve on.” This is after another night of defensive uncertainty by Jurgen Klopp’s team. What will concern them now is whether the problems that persist in this area at the end of winter represent an inconvenience – an itch that needs to be scratched – or something that really threatens to derail them from now until the end of the season. Certainly, there are inconvenient facts. Liverpool secured their place in the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday after their clash with Benfica. Jürgen Klopp’s team drew 3-3 with Benfica on Wednesday afternoon, to advance to the final four with 6-4 overall. Against Manchester City in the Premier League at the weekend, Liverpool’s defensive line – its offside trap – usually failed. He had previously done so in the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea and in league games with West Ham and Brighton. Liverpool went through these three games unscathed. But they did not go to City, nor here. The spectacle of rival players running free like rabbits escaping through Liverpool’s high defensive line becomes extremely familiar. Klopp said in a televised interview after the match that the issue was not “absolutely important”, but it is difficult to agree. Benfica actually put the ball in Liverpool five times here. Twice they were denied offside calls. So they scored three goals. It is not enough to exclude Liverpool from their favorite tournament, but certainly enough to encourage City before the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday and even Villarreal before meeting Liverpool in the last four of the Champions League. Ibrahima Konate (top) found the net in the 21st minute of the match to see Liverpool lead However, Goncalo Ramos did not take long to react and gave Benfica the equalizer in the 32nd minute to equalize the score. Firmino came out shooting after the break and added two goals to Liverpool’s account to possibly close the game for Liverpool. The way Benfica’s goals were known to anyone who has recently watched Liverpool. Some teams fight with set phases, others with the football played next to them. For Klopp’s players they are balls played through them or over the top of the quartet.
MATCH DETAILS
The Liverpool starting line-up: Allison? Gomez, Matip, Konate, Tsimikas? Henderson, Milner, Keita; Jota, Firmino, Diaz. Hosts: Kellecher, Fambino, Van Dyke, Thiago, Mane, Salah, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Robertson, Origi, Alexander-Arnold, Eliot. Benfica squad: Vlachodimos? Gilberto, Otamendi, Vertonghen, Grimaldo; Weigl, Taarabt; Everton, Ramos, Goncalves, Nunez. Second: Leite, Meite, Seferovic, Jaremcuk, Mario, Lazaro, Radonic, Dias, Almeida, Bernardo, Alvaro, Morato. Here, as Klopp made changes to his team, this was a whole new line behind the one that was difficult for City. The detainees midfielders were also different. But the way they played was well known. He never threatened to make them lose this draw, but it put them in a bit of a difficult position towards the end. In the beginning, Liverpool was dominant. The hunger and energy of Klopp’s players was admirable. Much of the hard work had been done in winning last week’s first game 3-1 in Lisbon, but you would not know it. Ibrahima Konate led Liverpool to the lead in the 21st minute in much the same way as last week in Portugal. A corner kick by the defender was blocked by the defender. There were other possibilities. Luis Diaz, once one of Benfica’s opponents in Porto, was rejected by goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos and then set up Roberto Firmino for a header that was repelled. But then a goal from nothing for Benfica and that proved remarkable in terms of what was to follow later, as Goncalo Ramos ran cleanly to score in front of the Cop. Flat at halftime, Liverpool were still the best team. They enjoyed the territory and the opportunities. And when Firmino scored twice in a row, Liverpool’s place in the semi-final was safe. Both were bad goals from Benfica, but Firmino finished them calmly and with careful technique. Nabi Keita’s pass to Diaz in the 55th minute was out of control and goalkeeper Vlachodimos had to collect the ball. But when he spilled it and Jan Vertonghen hacked it wildly, the door opened. Diogo Jota’s shot went hastily as the ball fell and would pass safely in front of the goal. But Firmino had perfectly anticipated the corners and was right on the sidelines as he moved forward seven yards. Diaz was until then the best player of his team. His run was strong and immediate, but it was Firmino who came to the fore here, making his second volley after a foul by Costas Tsmikas left by Benfica’s defense with 25 minutes left. Benfica’s Roman Jaremcuk would not let Liverpool escape so easily – scored his team’s second goal of the game Darwin Nunez scored Benfica’s third and final goal of the night, but also conceded two goals due to offside. Did Liverpool close a bit at this point? Maybe. They were ahead 6-2 in the draw. But Benfica broke their offside trap twice in eight minutes – Roman Jaremczuk and Darwin Nunez scoring – to change the whole mood tonight and if Allison was not saved low on the crossbar by Nunes, then Liverpool may have had more than psychological damage. end. Liverpool could also have scored more goals. It was the best team. But perhaps this only serves to increase, not decrease, the sense of alarm. Klopp then put his team’s problems on an unknown back four. But this will only really be washed if it was a one-off. And it was not. Experience the action again from Sportsmail live blog for the rematch of the Champions League quarterfinals between Liverpool and Benfica.
