Three of the four matches of the quarterfinals of this year’s edition of the Champions League had, or at least should be the case, a dramatic plot. However, it seems that the match between Liverpool and Benfica will not grant us a surprise. The Reds managed to win 3-1 in Lisbon, and in the return match at Anfield, everything except keeping a rather comfortable advantage of two goals would be a miracle.Liverpool did a huge job in the first half of the game at Da Luz. The Reds seemed comfortable all through the match, and even when they “stepped off the gas pedal” a bit during one period of the second half and allowed the Eagles to score a goal that gives them some hope, they didn’t look like they had lost focus.The six-time European champions knew what they wanted in Lisbon and they achieved that. They took the lead early with a goal by Ibrahima Konate, doubled the lead over Sadio Mane until the break, and even though the Portuguese collected themselves a little and reduced the lead over Darwin Nunez in the 49th minute – a man who played for Benfica’s biggest rivals Porto until passed January – Luis Diaz – cut the wings off the home team. The Colombian will have a huge motive tonight also.Cholo’s Machiavellian approach vs Pep’s atomic footballAfter all, the English giant is now in great shape and this year they can reach a total of four valuable trophies. The Reds already have one in their pocket, the one from the League Cup when they defeated Chelsea in London after a penalty shootout – and in addition to the Champions League, they are in the race for the FA Cup and Premier League trophy. In both cases, they have to deal with Manchester City, which are only one point ahead in the league, and in the FA Cup the two sides will meet in the semifinals next Saturday.The two main candidates for the primacy in the Premier League met last weekend in the expected derby of the entire season at the Etihad Stadium, and after a wild performance, it was a deserved draw for both sides – 2- 2. Although Liverpool ended a streak of ten league victories in a row, they did not lose their grip on the Cityzens.”The dedication in that match was crazy. Wild. We wanted to survive, and they wanted to also. It was a great match. We have a result we have to live with and I’m sure we can handle it,” the German coach Jürgen Klopp is optimistic.When you spit up, it will come back at you – Nagelsmann’s statement fired up the underdogsThe Lisbon team, on the other hand, will not reach the Portuguese throne, as they are 15 points behind the leader of Porto with five rounds before the campaign ends.In the capital of Portugal, it was clear that Klopp’s team has a higher individual quality, and the German himself praised the Eagles goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos after the game, and said that the Greek custodian was the best individual of the match. Nelson Verissimo, the temporary manager of the Eagles, did not think that the doors of the semifinals were closed for his team.Now Verissimo is aware that it will be difficult for his players to reverse the unfavorable development of events.”The door to the semifinals is definitely not closed yet. The third goal we conceded has significantly complicated the situation, but the fight is not over. We will fight to the final whistle,” said the strategist.The last two times Liverpool have faced Benfica in the Champions League Quarter Final, they’ve ended up winning it pic.twitter.com/4E5cRnuPuO— 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐝. (@__DavidLFC) March 23, 2022 Verissimo has almost all of his players at disposal, including Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunez, but it is important to say that the striker Rafa Silva will be missing due to health problems. Klopp’s players are all on standby, but it is expected to see him make some “cosmetic” changes.”Of course I will not reveal the lineup, but I am sure that the players will do their best,” Klopp said briefly.The charismatic strategist from Stuttgart added that Benfica has nothing to lose and that they will try to surprise with something at Anfield.”After the first duel, we know a lot more about Benfica, and we also discovered that they can endanger us. Our rival managed to surprise Ajax in Amsterdam and we have no doubt in their quality, which is why we will be very careful,” Klopp underlined.The clash at Anfield will be closely monitored in the vicinity of Valencia, from the Villarreal camp, which made another sensation after the elimination of Juventus and advanced to the semifinals of the Champions League, at Bayern’s expense. The Yellow Submarine awaits either the favoured Reds or another competition’s underdogs in the form of Benfica.UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUEQuarter-final, second legTuesdayReal Madrid – Chelsea 2-3 (0-1) /first leg 3-1//Mount 15, Ruddiger 51, Werner 75 – Rodrygo 80, Benzema 96/Bayern – Villareal 1-1 (0-0) /first leg 0-1//Lewandowski 52 – Chukwueze 88/Wednesday22.00: (5.00) Atl.Madrid (3.50) Man.City (1.85) /first leg 0-1/22.00: (1.30) Liverpool (6.25) Benfica (10.0) /first leg 3-1/***odds are subject to change
