Match ends, Villarreal 2, Liverpool 3.
Liverpool survived a scare against Villarreal to move into the Champions League final - and keep their hopes of winning an unprecedented quadruple alive.
The Reds had comfortably won 2-0 in the first leg but that advantage was wiped out after only 41 minutes at a noisy and passionate El Madrigal as the Spanish side pushed for a huge upset.
Boulaye Dia scored Villarreal's first after only three minutes, converting Etienne Capoue's pass, before ex-Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin headed in a second from another Capoue cross as the Reds looked rattled.
Liverpool had to improve in the second half and Fabinho put them back in front on aggregate with a shot that went through the legs of Villarreal goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli in the 62nd minute.
Luis Diaz, whose introduction at half time changed the game after he replaced Diogo Jota, restored Liverpool's two-goal aggregate advantage with a header at the back post.
Sadio Mane secured Liverpool's place in their third Champions League final in five seasons with a third goal after taking the ball around Rulli. Villarreal ended the game with 10 men with Capoue sent off late on for two bookable offences.
The Reds will play either Manchester City or Real Madrid at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday, 28 May.
No English side has ever won the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup all in the same season, with Liverpool aiming to create history.
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Liverpool suffer, but get the job done
Villarreal's performance in their 2-0 loss at Anfield led one English radio pundit to call the Spanish side a "disgrace" and "pathetic", despite an incredible run that had seen them eliminate former winners Juventus and Bayern Munich in the previous two rounds.
However, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp knew the tie was not over and warned his side they "would have to be prepared to suffer" in the second leg.
And suffer they did in arguably Liverpool's worst half of football this season, with passes misplaced, errors made and the side looking uncharacteristically vulnerable.
They made the worst possible start, conceding after only three minutes.
Pervis Estupinan, who scored an own goal at Anfield, provided a cross which was pulled back by Capoue and Dia, inside the six-yard box, reacted quickest to convert from close range.
Dani Parejo shot just wide and Gerard Moreno had an effort blocked before Villarreal, seventh in La Liga and managed by ex-Arsenal boss Unai Emery, made it 2-2 on aggregate thanks to Coquelin's fine header.
Liverpool had to improve in the second half, and Trent Alexander-Arnold's shot hit the crossbar after taking a huge deflection off Coquelin.
But the breakthrough came with Fabinho's strike and that led to a capitulation from Villarreal, who conceded three times in a 12-minute spell. Diaz headed in Alexander-Arnold's cross to give the visitors some breathing space before a rash decision from Rulli saw him sprint off the line with Mane getting there first and finishing into an unguarded goal.
This is the 10th time Liverpool have reached the final of the European Cup or Champions League as they aim to become European champions for a seventh time after successes in 1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005 and 2019.
Liverpool keep quadruple hopes alive
Liverpool's progress keeps them on course to become the first English side to complete the quadruple.
They already have the Carabao Cup in the trophy cabinet after beating Chelsea on penalties in February and Thomas Tuchel's side are again the opposition at Wembley for the FA Cup final on 14 May.
This victory means Liverpool have become the first English club to reach the final of the European Cup/Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup in the same season.
Liverpool are also only one point behind Manchester City in the Premier League title race and could meet in the Champions League final later this month.
Pep Guardiola's side hold the advantage in the second semi-final after an incredible first leg at Etihad Stadium saw them beat Real 4-3 in one of the best games in the tournament's history.
The second leg takes place at Real's Santiago Bernabeu stadium on Wednesday and if the Spanish champions, managed by ex-Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti, can turn the one-goal deficit around it would set up a repeat of the 2018 final.
Real won 3-1 on that occasion as Gareth Bale scored twice, including an incredible overhead kick, but the game will largely be remembered for two goalkeeping errors from Liverpool's Loris Karius.
Player of the match
DíazLuis Díaz
Villarreal
Avg
- Squad number16Player nameDiaAverage rating
5.77
- Squad number3Player nameAlbiolAverage rating
5.46
- Squad number7Player nameMorenoAverage rating
5.27
- Squad number12Player nameEstupiñánAverage rating
5.27
- Squad number19Player nameCoquelinAverage rating
5.26
- Squad number4Player nameP TorresAverage rating
5.22
- Squad number6Player nameCapoueAverage rating
5.14
- Squad number8Player nameFoythAverage rating
5.11
- Squad number17Player nameLo CelsoAverage rating
5.07
- Squad number5Player nameParejoAverage rating
5.07
- Squad number11Player nameChukwuezeAverage rating
4.46
- Squad number24Player namePedrazaAverage rating
4.26
- Squad number9Player namePaco AlcácerAverage rating
4.26
- Squad number14Player nameManu TriguerosAverage rating
4.23
- Squad number25Player nameAurierAverage rating
4.17
- Squad number13Player nameRulliAverage rating
4.11
Liverpool
Avg
- Squad number23Player nameDíazAverage rating
8.90
- Squad number10Player nameManéAverage rating
7.87
- Squad number3Player nameFabinhoAverage rating
7.64
- Squad number4Player namevan DijkAverage rating
7.43
- Squad number5Player nameKonatéAverage rating
7.36
- Squad number1Player nameAlissonAverage rating
7.28
- Squad number66Player nameAlexander-ArnoldAverage rating
7.05
- Squad number26Player nameRobertsonAverage rating
7.05
- Squad number14Player nameHendersonAverage rating
7.04
- Squad number7Player nameMilnerAverage rating
6.93
- Squad number11Player nameMohamed SalahAverage rating
6.91
- Squad number17Player nameJonesAverage rating
6.91
- Squad number21Player nameTsimikasAverage rating
6.90
- Squad number6Player nameThiago AlcántaraAverage rating
6.86
- Squad number8Player nameKeïtaAverage rating
6.57
- Squad number20Player nameDiogo JotaAverage rating
6.39
Line-ups
Villarreal
Formation 4-4-2
- 13Rulli
- 8Foyth
- 3AlbiolSubstituted forAurierat 79'minutes
- 4P TorresBooked at 85mins
- 12EstupiñánSubstituted forTrigueros Muñozat 79'minutes
- 17Lo CelsoBooked at 81mins
- 5Parejo
- 6CapoueBooked at 85mins
- 19CoquelinSubstituted forPedrazaat 68'minutes
- 7MorenoSubstituted forChukwuezeat 68'minutes
- 16DiaSubstituted forAlcácerat 79'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Asenjo
- 2M Gaspar
- 9Alcácer
- 10Iborra
- 11Chukwueze
- 14Trigueros Muñoz
- 20Peña
- 22Mandi
- 23Gómez Bardonado
- 24Pedraza
- 25Aurier
- 35Jörgensen
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Alisson
- 66Alexander-ArnoldBooked at 77mins
- 5Konaté
- 4van Dijk
- 26RobertsonSubstituted forTsimikasat 79'minutes
- 8KeïtaSubstituted forHendersonat 79'minutes
- 3FabinhoSubstituted forMilnerat 84'minutes
- 6Thiago AlcántaraSubstituted forJonesat 80'minutes
- 11Salah
- 20JotaSubstituted forDíazat 45'minutes
- 10Mané
Substitutes
- 7Milner
- 12Gomez
- 14Henderson
- 15Oxlade-Chamberlain
- 17Jones
- 18Minamino
- 21Tsimikas
- 23Díaz
- 27Origi
- 32Matip
- 62Kelleher
- 67Elliott
- Referee:
- Danny Makkelie
- Attendance:
- 23,665
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home44%
- Away56%
- Shots
- Home6
- Away15
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away5
- Corners
- Home1
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home18
- Away14
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Villarreal 2, Liverpool 3.
Post update
James Milner (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Alfonso Pedraza (Villarreal).
Post update
Corner, Villarreal. Conceded by Konstantinos Tsimikas.
Post update
Attempt missed. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left following a fast break.
Post update
Foul by Curtis Jones (Liverpool).
Post update
Daniel Parejo (Villarreal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Jordan Henderson (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
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Attempt blocked. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Curtis Jones.
Dismissal
Second yellow card to Etienne Capoue (Villarreal) for a bad foul.
Post update
Curtis Jones (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Etienne Capoue (Villarreal).
Booking
Pau Torres (Villarreal) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Sadio Mané (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Pau Torres (Villarreal).
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. James Milner replaces Fabinho.
Post update
Offside, Liverpool. Alisson tries a through ball, but Mohamed Salah is caught offside.
Booking
Giovani Lo Celso (Villarreal) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Fabinho (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Comments
Join the conversation
Hope we can emulate you on Thursday by reaching the Europa Cup final too.
When you look at our last 2 signings Liaz Dias and JK they turned that game on its head 2nd half.
Well done LFC another final.
I can just see some of the haters licking their lips at half time, getting their itchy fingers ready for the LFC HYS.
Another sleepless night for the haters.
Liverpool 10 times European Cup Finalists, 3rd one in 4 years!
3 Finals in 1 Season, No Quad talk amongst the Fans, just 1 game at a time..
Oh what Great Fun it is to be a Liverpool Fan, the bitters must be utterly distraught tonight LOL
How Salah can ask for 400k and Diaz is on 60k is ridiculous
Fair play to villereal, they were incredible in the first half, proper pooing myself
THREE CL FINALS IN FOUR YEARS!!!