Liverpool hold the advantage in their Champions League quarter-final with Benfica after winning 3-1 in the first leg in Lisbon on Tuesday night. Goals from Ibrahima Konate, Sadio Mane and Luis Diaz secured the victory, which sees the Reds takes a two-goal cushion going into next week’s second leg at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp’s side went into the half-time interval with a 2-0 lead but it could have been more had his side taken their chances. Darwin Nunez struck in the second half as Benfica threatened a comeback.
But Diaz's late strike has put Liverpool firmly in command ahead of the return encounter on Merseyside next Wednesday (April 13). But before that, here's what the national media had to say, as well as our own Paul Gorst, about the victory at the Estadio da Luz.
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Chris Bascombe, via The Telegraph
“It was a little after 30 minutes when the Benfica fans decided it was no longer worth booing Liverpool’s players whenever they had possession. Klopp’s side were so dominant in possession at that stage, Lisbon would have been in the grip of a tonsillitis epidemic had the spectators sought to prolong what - they had concluded - was a futile ritual.
“Benfica always put on a grand pre-match show, with their flying eagle, flag-waving and more anthems than an Olympic opening ceremony. But deep down, they must have feared their hopes would distinguish when the choreography ended. Nicolas Otamendi and Jan Vertonghen, especially, carried so many scars from previous skirmishes with Klopp’s Liverpool they must have felt like war veterans revisiting the scene of trauma.
“Vertonghen looked like he wanted to exorcise the ball rather than clear it, sensing the shadow of Salah and Mane behind him even when they were in no hurry to chase it. The home side bet their chances on counter-attacking, which explains why Klopp opted for an adventurous midfield formation of Naby Keita and Thiago alongside Fabinho keeping anchor.
“This gave Benfica the occasional glimmer of light as Nunez tried to show why many presume he is the next superstar off the Lisbon production line. There would be a symbolic moment within three minutes as Nunez sought to trick his way through Liverpool’s defence only to run into the blockade of Konate. The young defender shrugged off the forward, the Spanish referee incredulous as the crowd yelled for a foul. Konate’s reputation would be enhanced further when he headed Liverpool’s opening goal after 17 minutes. His role in gifting Nunez a pathway into the tie three minutes into the second half, however, was a blemish.”
Mark Critchley, via The Independent
“Liverpool successfully navigated this first of four matches that could decide their hopes of an unprecedented quadruple, even though it briefly threatened to be an archetypal game of two halves. Luis Diaz’s late goal and some timely second-half substitutions broke Benfica’s second half resurgence at the Estadio da Luz to secure a win that was deserved on the overall balance of play.
“As it is, Jurgen Klopp’s team will go into the second leg of this Champions League quarter-final with a comfortable though not entirely commanding two-goal advantage to protect, with Diaz adding to strikes by Ibrahima Konate and Sadio Mane during a one-sided first half. It would be a mixed night for Konate, though, whose mistake led to Darwin Nunez’s reply.
“It said everything about the delicate balancing act that Klopp has to strike over these next few weeks that, in those moments when Benfica’s backs were up, Mohamed Salah was sacrificed as part of a triple substitution on the hour mark. Mane was also replaced but those changes steadied the ship and earned both some rest before Sunday’s trip to Manchester City.
“One foot in the semi-finals? Perhaps. Diaz’s late contribution on his return to Portugal probably makes Klopp’s selections for next week’s second leg somewhat easier, potentially allowing others to be rested before that FA Cup semi-final. It was an important goal, scored after rounding goalkeeper Odysseus Vlachodimos, and crafted by a surging run through midfield by the excellent Naby Keita.”
Andy Hunter, via The Guardian
“Andy Robertson glared at the Benfica fans who pelted him with flag poles as he waited to take a stoppage time corner, but Liverpool had already served out punishment. Jürgen Klopp’s side are firmly on course for the Champions League semi-finals following a commanding win in Lisbon.
“There were unforeseen nerves when Darwin Nunez handed Benfica a lifeline early in the second half but Luis Díaz’s late finish, on top of first half goals from Ibrahima Konaté and Sadio Mané, reflected the visitors superiority on the night.
“Liverpool were a model of composure from the first whistle, with neither the raucous atmosphere inside Estádio da Luz nor six changes from the team that beat Watford in the Premier League on Saturday able to disturb their rhythm. Such is the strength at Klopp’s disposal as they enter a defining phase of the campaign. His team had to deal with moments of individual menace from Benfica’s forwards but otherwise they were in almost complete control throughout the first half; quicker and stronger in the challenge, better structured and the more cohesive attacking unit. But for a few lapses in front of goal and interventions by Benfica goalkeeper Odisseas Vlachodimos, the quadruple chasers would have had the entire tie sewn up by half-time. They had to settle for a two-goal cushion instead.”
Ian Ladyman, via Mail Online
“This was a game that finished as it started. Liverpool on the attack, Benfica struggling to cope. The gap in class evident and painful.
“But in between, for a period of about 25 second half minutes or so, Benfica had raised themselves to energise their terrific home crowd and turn this into frenetic, dramatic and very watchable European contest indeed.
“You could argue that a team playing in the last eight of the Champions League should be able to engage fully with an opponent for longer than that, especially when playing at home. You would probably be right and the fact Benfica could not do that reflects their modest domestic standing – third in the Portuguese league – and tells us this tie is now all but over ahead of next week’s second leg at Anfield.
“Still, though, Benfica worried Liverpool for a while here. They were adrenaline-fuelled and dangerous after scoring early in the second half to half a 2-0 interval deficit.
“Liverpool were required to dig a little deeper than anticipated during the spell that followed and that they came through to survive and indeed score a late goal of their own will doubtless add another layer of steel and resolve as they prepare themselves for the challenges that lie ahead at home and abroad between now and the end of May.”
Paul Gorst, via the Liverpool Echo
“Nights like these can, at times now during Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool reign, seem almost ordinary. Somewhat routine, dare it be said.
“After all, an ultimately comfortable 3-1 win in a fourth Champions League quarter-final of his tenure feels as though it comes as standard now at Anfield. It is no longer an additional extra.
“But make no mistake, the good times that are so evidently in front of each and every Liverpool supporter right now are not being taken for granted. Certainly not for those who packed themselves into the nosebleeds of Estadio da Luz on Tuesday night to watch their side take a giant stride towards the last four of the European Cup.
“This was a game that showcased Klopp’s multi-skilled side at somewhere near its best. From the controlled chaos of the early stages, when numbers flew forward at will, through to their ability to be resolute and mentally strong when the time called for it, all the way through to the ruthless streak that was shown by a third goal that could have sealed Benfica’s fate; this was a Liverpool performance that had a little something for everyone.
“A little something from every iteration of Klopp’s Liverpool, in fact. The evolution may finally be complete. This is the team that has everything great about the sides of 2018, ‘19 and ‘20. Don’t bet against them going all the way and sealing European Cup No.7.”
