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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Ian Doyle

Villarreal 'can benefit from UEFA rule change' in Champions League semi-final with Liverpool

Unai Emery believes Villarreal can benefit from the abolition of the away goals rule as they attempt a comeback against Liverpool "no-one has achieved".

The Spanish side entertain the Reds in their Champions League semi-final second leg on Tuesday hoping to overturn a 2-0 deficit from the first game at Anfield last week.

With the away goals rule having been ended this season by UEFA, Villarreal need only to win by a two-goal margin to take the game to extra time and possibly penalties. Previously, had Liverpool scored, the Spaniards would have required to win by at least three goals to reach their first Champions League final.

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And Emery believes that rule change, coupled with a switch in tactics and the impact of the crowd at the intimate 23,000-capacity Estadio de la Ceramica - better known as its former name El Madrigal - can cause Liverpool problems.

“We need to play a perfect game," said the Villarreal boss. "We need to find our excellence in certain things and maybe achieve something no-one has achieved, which is this kind of comeback.

"We will try and find some weak spots, something that no-one has done this season. It is a difficult task but we are working on the game. We know coming back from 2-0 is very complicated and in this case it is beneficial the away goals have been cancelled. The stadium factor was very important for Liverpool and I would like to think it will make a difference for us.

“What can change? We play in front of our fans for starters. Second, we need to win. Third, we need to defend but there are many ways to defend. We need to play a fantastic defensive game, different to what we did at Liverpool, and from then onwards try to find something we didn't over there, which is to find our game."

Emery has experienced both sides of a European comeback, on the receiving end of a 6-1 defeat to Barcelona having won the first leg 4-0 while in charge of Paris Saint-Germain, and guiding Arsenal to a 3-0 triumph against Rennes having initially lost 3-1 in France.

“I haven't used the Rennes game to be honest for this tie because of what Liverpool means right now in a Champions League semi," he said. "I remember that tie and we had to play with a lot of respect and play a game at home where we defended really well and found our own offensive weapons. The difficulty against Liverpool will be much higher, of course."

Emery admits his team were overpowered in midfield at Anfield but believes they can again frustrate Liverpool as they had done until a Jordan Henderson cross deflected in off Villarreal left-back Pervis Estupinan shortly after half-time.

“Thiago was man of the match, Fabinho has had a fantastic career and has been fantastic at Liverpool," said the Villarreal boss. "They are two players who can play really good football but they have the work-rate and intensity and they were at a world-class level at Liverpool (last week).

"What we did was defend really well so whenever they won the ball in midfield we helped each other really well so we were able to not concede many clear chances. They had a lot of chances from dead-balls. We need to do exactly that again this time, but we need to play our offensive game. If the player of the match is again a Liverpool player we will be out for sure, but if it is one of ours we can be there."

Villarreal striker Gerard Moreno, who missed the first leg through injury, could return although there is a doubt over Arnaut Danjuma, who was unwell earlier in the week.

“Gerard trained with the rest of the group today," said Emery, speaking on Monday. "I don't know to what extent he will be fit for contention. We will not take any risks. Danjuma didn't feel well, he didn't train with the group either and don't know if he will be fit. Yeremy (Pino) is injured and he and Alberto Moreno are out."

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