UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg: What to look out for on Wednesday
Wednesday, April 27, 2022
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Liverpool want a repeat of their last home result against Villarreal as the second last-four tie kicks off. What will happen? Follow the action on 27 April with UEFA.com.
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Liverpool will look to take a significant step towards a third UEFA Champions League final in five years as they kick off their semi-final ties at home to Spanish opponents Villarreal.
Presented by Expedia, we pore over the talking points.
Semi-final first legs
Tuesday 26 April
Manchester City 4-3 Real Madrid (second leg: Wednesday 4 May)
Wednesday 27 April
Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal (second leg: Tuesday 3 May)
Matches kick off at 21:00 CEST.
Liverpool target end to Villarreal's glorious run
UEFA Europa League holders, Unai Emery's Villarreal are still on course to match the stunning achievement of José Mourinho's Porto, who won the UEFA Champions League in 2003/04, the season after winning the UEFA Cup.
Having eliminated Juventus in the round of 16 and (more surprising still) Bayern in the quarter-finals, the Yellow Submarine have matched their 2005/06 competition-best by reaching the last four, but their more experienced players will know from experience that Anfield is not an easy stadium to visit.
The Villarreal class of 2015/16 drew Liverpool in the UEFA Europa League semi-finals, and won the first leg of the tie 1-0 only to come unstuck in the return game, going down 3-0 to Jürgen Klopp's side, and the German will not be underestimating Emery's side. "It’s going to be really, really difficult against Villarreal," he said. "But it's the semi-final of the Champions League – if it wasn't difficult there would be something wrong."
When and where is the UEFA Champions League League final?
This season's final takes place at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis. The game will kick off at 21:00 CET on Saturday 28 May.