Football / News / Sports

Champions League draw: Liverpool face Real Madrid, Bayern Munich vs. PSG

Defending champions Real Madrid will face Liverpool in the Champions League round-of-16, a repeat of last season’s final, while Paris Saint-Germain will play against Bayern Munich.

Madrid are seeking to win a 15th European title in June’s final in Istanbul, having claimed a 1-0 win over Liverpool in last year’s final in Paris. Madrid also beat Jurgen Klopp’s side in the 2018 final in Kyiv.

“It’s a repeat of the last final, they’re two historic teams. It will be an electric, fascinating tie for the fans,” Madrid director Emilio Butragueno said.

“We’re the champions, and we want to defend our title, while being aware of the opponent we face. We’ll do everything we can to be in the quarterfinal draw.”

Meanwhile, PSG, who finished second in Group H, remain on the hunt for their first Champions League title and will have to go through familiar foes to do so, having last met Bayern in the 2020 final where they suffered a 1-0 defeat.

Elsewhere, Chelsea drew Borussia Dortmund, meaning forward Christian Pulisic will return to face his former club for the first time since leaving for Stamford Bridge in 2019.

Manchester City eased their way to top Group G were rewarded with a draw against RB Leipzig, while Tottenham Hotspur face AC Milan.

The round-of-16 first legs will take place on Feb. 14-15 and Feb. 21-22, with the second legs due to be held on March 7-8 and March.

The final is scheduled for June 10 at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul.

Champions League Round of 16 draw:

RB Leipzig vs. Manchester City

Club Brugge vs. Benfica

Liverpool vs. Real Madrid

AC Milan vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Napoli

Borussia Dortmund vs. Chelsea

Inter Milan vs. Porto

Paris Saint-Germain vs. Bayern Munich…

Football / News / Sports

 Mo Salah and Darwin Nunez hitting form against Tottenham Hotspur

Today’s encounter is a crucial one for Jurgen Klopp and Antonio Conte. Both managers are under pressure to deliver for their respective clubs but for vastly different reasons. Conte is trying to prove that Tottenham can be a major player in the Premier League title race whilst Klopp wants to get Liverpool back to winning ways and into the top four race.

With the margins for error so slim at the top of the table Conte’s Spurs cannot afford to slip up against Liverpool this afternoon. They’ve had three poor weeks in the league with consecutive defeats to Manchester United and Newcastle before Rodrigo Bentancur rescued them with a 92nd minute winner against Bournemouth last time out. Three points today is a must if Spurs want to keep the pressure on Manchester City and Arsenal.

Liverpool, meanwhile, come into the game 9th in the table and eight points away from the top four having been beaten by Nottingham Forest and Leeds in their last two league outings. However, Klopp’s men tend to step up in big games – they’re the only ones to beat City this season – and with the pressure on they could prove to be too much to handle for Spurs especially with Mo Salah and Darwin Nunez hitting form.

Follow the action as Tottenham clash with Liverpool in the Premier League:

Tottenham vs Liverpool

  • Victory puts Spurs back in third place
  • Tottenham XI: Lloris; Royal, Dier, Lenglet, Davies, Sessegnon; Bissouma, Bentancur, Hojbjerg, Perisic; Kane
  • Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Thiago, Elliott; Salah, Firmino, Nunez

Tottenham Hotspur FC 1 – 2 Liverpool FC

Full-time: Tottenham 1-2 Liverpool

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Football / Sports

Reds comeback to claim 3 points

Liverpool overcame an early hiccup to beat Aston Villa 2-1 at Villa Park on Tuesday, going level on points with first-place Man City before the leaders play Wednesday.

A controversial opener saw Douglas Luiz put Villa in front after just three minutes, but the lead lasted less than that as Joel Matip bundled the Reds level in the sixth.

It was a cagey affair that looked like Liverpool could drop points for a second-straight match, but Sadio Mane scored in the 65th minute to get the Reds to 86 points.

Villa stays 11th with 43 points, one back of the top half of the table.

Liverpool’s goal differential is three behind Man City. Any hope of a Reds title would require City to either draw twice or lose at least once.

Aston Villa vs Liverpool final score, stats

Aston Villa 1, Liverpool 2

Scorers: Luiz (3′), Matip (6′), Mane (65′)

Shot attempts: Aston Villa 9, Liverpool 17

Shots on goal: Aston Villa 4, Liverpool 6

Possession: Aston Villa 379 Liverpool 61

Three things we learned from Aston Villa vs Liverpool

1. To the wire we go: The Premier League title race will certainly head into Week 38 thanks to the three points claimed by the Reds on Tuesday. Man City plays Wolves on Wednesday and will not be able to clinch the Premier League title even with a win there and a Week 37 win coupled with a Liverpool loss. Man City can, however, go up six points on Liverpool before the Reds meet Southampton for their 37th game, which won’t come until Tuesday, May 17.

2. Not a banner day for Jon Moss and crew: An early offside against Aston Villa went unspotted and a few moves later the ball was in Liverpool’s goal, unable to be reviewed because the initial chance/phase has gone. Then, on a much lesser note, Philippe Coutinho was clobbered by Fabinho on a Villa counterattack and referee Jon Moss was looking in the wrong direction while the assistant referee did not raise his flag …

Football / Sports

Reds reach 10th European Cup final

Liverpool played as poorly as they’ve played in months for 45 minutes and it still didn’t matter as the Reds scored three second-half goals to advance to their 10th European Cup Final with a 3-2 second-leg win over Villarreal on Tuesday that gave Jurgen Klopp’s men a 5-2 aggregate victory.

First-half goals from Boulaye Dia and ex-Arsenal man Francis Coquelin had it level at the break, but Liverpool scored for the 28th time in 31 games and then scored again… and again.

Fabinho, Luis Diaz, and Sadio Mane led the three-goal final 45 minutes and Villarreal rarely showed a threat after the Reds got the score line back to 3-2 on aggregate.

Liverpool will meet either Manchester City or Real Madrid in the final on May 28 in France. Man City leads Real Madrid by a goal heading into Wednesday’s second leg.

Villarreal vs Liverpool

Villarreal 2, Liverpool 3 (Liverpool wins 5-2 on aggregate)

Scorers: Dia (3′), Coquelin (41′), Fabinho (62′), Diaz (62′), Mane (74′)

Shot attempts: Villarreal 5, Liverpool 15

Shots on goal: Villarreal 2, Liverpool 5

Possession: Villarreal 44, Liverpool 56

Three things we learned from Villarreal vs Liverpool

1. Can’t stop scoring: This has a double meaning, in that Villarreal’s two goals at the break meant they’d still need at least one more to complete the upset and, well, Liverpool simply cannot stop scoring. The only times the Reds have been kept off a scoreboard in 2022 were in games that did not cost them anything but further effort: The 1-0 second-leg against Inter Milan in the Round of 16, which obviously wasn’t detrimental to the club’s goal of reaching the European Cup Final, a 0-0 draw with Arsenal in League Cup semifinal first leg, and the 0-0 with Chelsea in the League Cup Final that saw the Reds triumph in penalties. All told: Since a 1-0 loss to Leicester City on Dec. 28, Liverpool has scored in 28 of 31 matches.

2. What Villarreal did right: Unai Emery’s men didn’t exactly like the first half on …

Football / Sports

Liverpool vs Villarreal final score: Klopp’s men have total control

Liverpool bossed Villarreal in every area and will bring a 2-0 lead to Spain after controlling a UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg at Anfield on Wednesday.

Pervis Estupinan’s deflection of a Jordan Henderson cross went down as an own goal and Mohamed Salah set up a Sadio Mane goal as the Reds beat the Yellow Submarine by holding a 19-2 shots advantage and 74 percent of the ball.

The second leg is Tuesday in Spain, which will come after both teams play league matches early Saturday morning.

Liverpool vs Villarreal final score, stats

Liverpool 2, Villarreal 0

Scorers: Estupinan (o.g. 53′), Mane (55′)

Shot attempts: Liverpool 19, Villarreal 1

Shots on goal: Liverpool 5, Villarreal 0

Possession: Liverpool 74, Villarreal 26

Three things we learned from Liverpool vs Villarreal

1. Almost complete victory: The only thing that would’ve made this match better for Liverpool — and we’re being picky — is a third goal. The Reds have left the door closed but not locked heading to Spain next week, though Villarreal could be suitably dispirited by its defensive display yielding almost nothing on the counter. Liverpool was so good all the way across the back aside from one bad pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold that led to Villarreal’s most dangerous counter. There’s no reason not to anticipate a berth in the final.

2. Alexander-Arnold shines: One of several players to collect more than 100 touches on the day, Trent Alexander-Arnold managed the figure in less than 90 minutes as Jurgen Klopp rested some players for the weekend’s trip to Newcastle. Alexander-Arnold had four key passes and would’ve had an assist had Andy Robertson managed to stay onside for what could’ve been 3-0 to the hosts. Alexander-Arnold was also credited with four tackles on the day.

3. Emery back to the drawing board: Well, Unai Emery simply cannot play it this conservative in the second leg if he wants any hopes of shocking the Reds. Unfortunately, that could lead to Liverpool just pounding away at the hosts in Spain, but Emery

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