Even the heavens seemed to be against Liverpool in the first half against Villarreal at the Estadio de la Cerámica. A tough waterlogged pitch compounded by a dogged opponent who were spurred on by a raucous home crowd created the most inhospitable conditions the Reds could find themselves in.
It was an atmosphere, perhaps, even Jürgen Klopp would not have anticipated. Liverpool were duly rocked from top to bottom. There were dark premonitions in the interval of the semi-final second leg at Anfield against Barcelona, only in reverse. The crowd that night evoked the same kind of shellshock from the opposition that was eminent in the posture and demeanour of the Liverpool players in the first half.
But while Klopp may have lacked the foresight to envision what was to come, the Liverpool boss knew how to react. Klopp marched down the tunnel at half-time in a determined stance. He knew he wielded a pawn that could still deliver his check-mate in the second half and he was not afraid to use it.
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Luis Díaz was stripped, readied and given clear instructions. Do what you do best.
And he didn't disappoint.
It's a little terrifying to think that without Tottenham, perhaps none of this would have been possible. Had it not been for their ill-timed efforts, Liverpool may have dithered on their move for Luis Díaz in January and waited to pounce in the summer — which would have meant the Colombian would not have had the chance to deliver a masterpiece in footballing brilliance at the Estadio de la Cerámica.
In the first half, Liverpool struggled to retain possession — especially in the opponent's final third of the pitch in attacking transitions. The ball often slipped and bounced off of the Reds attackers' ankles and thigs and bobbled off into the path of a Villarreal player. Liverpool needed someone to change that.
Díaz came on and he helped Liverpool regain control. From the first second, he was running at the throats of the Villareal defenders and making them sway from left to right sending them to the ground in the process as the ball seemed eternally tethered to his feet. Despite spending just one half on the pitch, the Colombian completed the most dribbles out of any of the Liverpool players and completed 90 per cent of his passes — the best accuracy for Liverpool on the night.
He turned the tide back in Liverpool's favour and transformed the Reds from a side that looked like they were about to buckle under the pressure to one that never looked like they were ever out of control. Credit must be due. Klopp played his cards perfectly — once again his substitute delivered the goods on the night.
But a manager can only work with the quality at his disposal, and having a player like Díaz makes the Liverpool boss' job easy. Five goals and three assists do not reflect the true impact Díaz has made on this Liverpool team. His arrival has been seismic. Díaz has given this Liverpool side the extra spark they needed to fuel them to an unprecedented level of dominance not just in the second half of this game against Villareal, but in the whole season.
And the best is yet to come. Both for Díaz in a Liverpool shirt and for the club for the rest of this campaign, there are still plenty of silverware to collect and plenty of defenders left to terrorise.
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May 04, 2022 at 04:27AM
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Jürgen Klopp delivered a Champions League masterclass to give Liverpool exciting future glimpse - Liverpool.com
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