Liverpool will take a two-goal lead into the Champions League quarter-final second leg at Anfield but Jurgen Klopp says his side are “not in dreamland” after an important victory over Benfica in Lisbon.
Luis Diaz scored late on to put Klopp’s side in control of the encounter but they could have been out of sight were it not for a number of fine saves from Benfica goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos.
Ibrahima Konate rose highest to head the visitors into the lead from a corner before Sadio Mane added a clinical second to dampen the mood at a lively Estadio da Luz in a dominant first half.
The home fans ramped up the noise again shortly after the interval when Konate’s mistake allowed sought-after striker Darwin Nunez to pull one back for the Portuguese outfit and make it a contest.
But the Premier League side will have a healthy advantage when they welcome Benfica in the second leg next Wednesday after Diaz added a late third with a composed finish after rounding Vlachodimos, who also denied Diogo Jota in the final moments.
“Coming here and winning an away game in the Champions League is tough. Obviously, Benfica fought for their lives,” said Klopp.
“We could have scored in the last minute – the fourth one would be nice but we’re not in dreamland here.
“It’s half-time, we know much more about our opponent, they will go for it again. They won at Ajax, they ground out all the results out in the group stage that they needed, so we are aware of the quality and now we have a nice game in between and then we will be ready again for Benfica.”
- Reaction to Tuesday’s Champions League action
- ‘We will fight’ – title race intensifies as rival bosses focus on big match
Perfect start to tough run for Liverpool
This was a near perfect start to a mammoth run of games for Liverpool that will define their season, with the return leg sandwiched between Sunday’s game at Premier League leaders Manchester City and an FA Cup semi-final against Pep Guardiola’s side six days later.
The Reds are chasing a historic quadruple and have already won the Carabao Cup this year, despite Klopp saying four trophies is not a realistic target and insisting winning just one other competition this term would be “outstanding”.
Their progress in Europe now looks set but it was not comfortable for the visitors until Diaz skipped round goalkeeper Vlachodimos to score his side’s third with three minutes to go.
Diaz, jeered throughout because of his history with Benfica’s domestic rivals Porto, was making his first Liverpool start in the competition but continued his seamless beginning to life with Klopp’s side and proved a threat throughout.
He had earlier been denied by Vlachodimos, who stopped Mohamed Salah adding a third before the break as well as keeping out Jota late in the second half.
Liverpool were completely in control early on and were already threatening before Konate was left unmarked to head in Andrew Robertson’s corner to score his first goal for the club.
The visitors then ruthlessly punished a poor touch from former Tottenham and QPR midfielder Adel Taarabt, as Trent Alexander-Arnold angled a superb ball into Diaz and the forward cushioned a header into Mane’s path to give him a simple finish.
Benfica, who upset an in-form Ajax side in the previous round, responded four minutes into the second half when Konate missed his kick from Rafa Silva’s low cross and 22-year-old Uruguay forward Nunez showed why he is so in demand with a composed finish from close range for his fifth goal in the competition this season.
That gave the home side belief and, buoyed by the intense atmosphere their fans created, Benfica suddenly looked a different team as Everton tested Alisson from range and Nunez failed to convert after breaking in behind the defence, instead going down under pressure from Virgil van Dijk only to see his penalty appeal waved away.
But it was Diaz who stole the show late on and Klopp’s attention will now switch to a huge game against City in the race for the Premier League title.
Player of the match
DíazLuis Díaz
with an average of 7.92
Benfica
-
Squad number9Player nameNúñez
-
Squad number99Player nameVlachodimos
-
Squad number49Player nameTaarabt
-
Squad number5Player nameVertonghen
-
Squad number2Player nameGilberto
-
Squad number27Player nameRafa
-
Squad number30Player nameOtamendi
-
Squad number7Player nameÉverton
-
Squad number88Player nameGonçalo Ramos
-
Squad number28Player nameWeigl
-
Squad number3Player nameGrimaldo
-
Squad number11Player nameMeité
-
Squad number15Player nameYaremchuk
-
Squad number20Player nameJoão Mário
Liverpool
-
Squad number23Player nameDíaz
-
Squad number26Player nameRobertson -
Squad number66Player nameAlexander-Arnold -
Squad number4Player namevan Dijk -
Squad number5Player nameKonaté
-
Squad number10Player nameMané -
Squad number3Player nameFabinho
-
Squad number1Player nameAlisson
-
Squad number8Player nameKeïta
-
Squad number6Player nameThiago Alcántara
-
Squad number14Player nameHenderson -
Squad number9Player nameRoberto Firmino -
Squad number20Player nameDiogo Jota
-
Squad number11Player nameMohamed Salah -
Squad number7Player nameMilner -
Squad number12Player nameGomez
Line-ups
Benfica
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 99Vlachodimos
- 2Junior
- 30Otamendi
- 5Vertonghen
- 3Grimaldo
- 28Weigl
- 49TaarabtBooked at 63minsSubstituted forMeitéat 70′minutes
- 27Ferreira Silva
- 88Matias RamosSubstituted forJoão Márioat 86′minutes
- 7Sousa SoaresSubstituted forYaremchukat 82′minutes
- 9Núñez
Substitutes
- 11Meité
- 14Seferovic
- 15Yaremchuk
- 17Cupido Goncalves
- 20João Mário
- 22Lazaro
- 23Radonjic
- 31Bastião Dias
- 34Magalhães de Almeida
- 55Goncalves Bernardo
- 77Aleixo Leite
- 91Rodrigues da Silva
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Alisson
- 66Alexander-ArnoldSubstituted forGomezat 89′minutes
- 5Konaté
- 4van Dijk
- 26Robertson
- 8KeïtaSubstituted forMilnerat 89′minutes
- 3Fabinho
- 6Thiago AlcántaraBooked at 58minsSubstituted forHendersonat 61′minutes
- 11SalahSubstituted forJotaat 61′minutes
- 10ManéSubstituted forFirminoat 61′minutes
- 23Díaz
Substitutes
- 7Milner
- 9Firmino
- 12Gomez
- 14Henderson
- 15Oxlade-Chamberlain
- 17Jones
- 18Minamino
- 20Jota
- 21Tsimikas
- 32Matip
- 62Kelleher
- 67Elliott
- Referee:
- Jesús Gil Manzano
- Attendance:
- 59,633
Live Text
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Match ends, Benfica 1, Liverpool 3.
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Second Half ends, Benfica 1, Liverpool 3.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Nicolás Otamendi.
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Attempt saved. Diogo Jota (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jordan Henderson with a through ball.
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Foul by Roberto Firmino (Liverpool).
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Alejandro Grimaldo (Benfica) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by James Milner (Liverpool).
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Soualiho Meité (Benfica) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Luis Díaz (Liverpool).
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Soualiho Meité (Benfica) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, Benfica. Conceded by Fabinho.
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Foul by James Milner (Liverpool).
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João Mário (Benfica) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Substitution, Liverpool. James Milner replaces Naby Keïta.
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Substitution, Liverpool. Joseph Gomez replaces Trent Alexander-Arnold.
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Goal! Benfica 1, Liverpool 3. Luis Díaz (Liverpool) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Naby Keïta with a through ball.
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Substitution, Benfica. João Mário replaces Gonçalo Ramos.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Julian Weigl.
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Attempt blocked. Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jordan Henderson.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Jan Vertonghen.
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Ibrahima Konate scored his first Liverpool goal and first in the Champions LeagueLiverpool will take a two-goal lead into the Champions League quarter-final second leg at Anfield but Jurgen Klopp says his side are “not in dreamland” after an important victory over Benfica in Lisbon. Luis Diaz scored late on to put Klopp’s side in control of the encounter but they could have been out of sight were it not for a number of fine saves from Benfica goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos.Ibrahima Konate rose highest to head the visitors into the lead from a corner before Sadio Mane added a clinical second to dampen the mood at a lively Estadio da Luz in a dominant first half.The home fans ramped up the noise again shortly after the interval when Konate’s mistake allowed sought-after striker Darwin Nunez to pull one back for the Portuguese outfit and make it a contest. But the Premier League side will have a healthy advantage when they welcome Benfica in the second leg next Wednesday after Diaz added a late third with a composed finish after rounding Vlachodimos, who also denied Diogo Jota in the final moments.”Coming here and winning an away game in the Champions League is tough. Obviously, Benfica fought for their lives,” said Klopp.”We could have scored in the last minute – the fourth one would be nice but we’re not in dreamland here.”It’s half-time, we know much more about our opponent, they will go for it again. They won at Ajax, they ground out all the results out in the group stage that they needed, so we are aware of the quality and now we have a nice game in between and then we will be ready again for Benfica.”Reaction to Tuesday’s Champions League action’We will fight’ – title race intensifies as rival bosses focus on big matchPerfect start to tough run for LiverpoolLuis Diaz was making his first Champions League start for LiverpoolThis was a near perfect start to a mammoth run of games for Liverpool that will define their season, with the return leg sandwiched between Sunday’s game at Premier League leaders Manchester City and an FA Cup semi-final against Pep Guardiola’s side six days later.The Reds are chasing a historic quadruple and have already won the Carabao Cup this year, despite Klopp saying four trophies is not a realistic target and insisting winning just one other competition this term would be “outstanding”. Their progress in Europe now looks set but it was not comfortable for the visitors until Diaz skipped round goalkeeper Vlachodimos to score his side’s third with three minutes to go. Diaz, jeered throughout because of his history with Benfica’s domestic rivals Porto, was making his first Liverpool start in the competition but continued his seamless beginning to life with Klopp’s side and proved a threat throughout. He had earlier been denied by Vlachodimos, who stopped Mohamed Salah adding a third before the break as well as keeping out Jota late in the second half. Liverpool were completely in control early on and were already threatening before Konate was left unmarked to head in Andrew Robertson’s corner to score his first goal for the club.The visitors then ruthlessly punished a poor touch from former Tottenham and QPR midfielder Adel Taarabt, as Trent Alexander-Arnold angled a superb ball into Diaz and the forward cushioned a header into Mane’s path to give him a simple finish. Benfica, who upset an in-form Ajax side in the previous round, responded four minutes into the second half when Konate missed his kick from Rafa Silva’s low cross and 22-year-old Uruguay forward Nunez showed why he is so in demand with a composed finish from close range for his fifth goal in the competition this season. That gave the home side belief and, buoyed by the intense atmosphere their fans created, Benfica suddenly looked a different team as Everton tested Alisson from range and Nunez failed to convert after breaking in behind the defence, instead going down under pressure from Virgil van Dijk only to see his penalty appeal waved away.But it was Diaz who stole the show late on and Klopp’s attention will now switch to a huge game against City in the race for the Premier League title. Player of the matchDíazLuis Díazwith an average of 7.92BenficaSquad number9Player nameNúñezSquad number99Player nameVlachodimosSquad number49Player nameTaarabtSquad number5Player nameVertonghenSquad number2Player nameGilbertoSquad number27Player nameRafaSquad number30Player nameOtamendiSquad number7Player nameÉvertonSquad number88Player nameGonçalo RamosSquad number28Player nameWeiglSquad number3Player nameGrimaldoSquad number11Player nameMeitéSquad number15Player nameYaremchukSquad number20Player nameJoão MárioLiverpoolSquad number23Player nameDíazSquad number26Player nameRobertsonSquad number66Player nameAlexander-ArnoldSquad number4Player namevan DijkSquad number5Player nameKonatéSquad number10Player nameManéSquad number3Player nameFabinhoSquad number1Player nameAlissonSquad number8Player nameKeïtaSquad number6Player nameThiago AlcántaraSquad number14Player nameHendersonSquad number9Player nameRoberto FirminoSquad number20Player nameDiogo JotaSquad number11Player nameMohamed SalahSquad number7Player nameMilnerSquad number12Player nameGomezLine-upsBenficaFormation 4-2-3-199Vlachodimos2Junior30Otamendi5Vertonghen3Grimaldo28Weigl49Taarabt27Ferreira Silva88Matias Ramos7Sousa Soares9Núñez99Vlachodimos2Junior30Otamendi5Vertonghen3Grimaldo28Weigl49TaarabtBooked at 63minsSubstituted forMeitéat 70’minutes27Ferreira Silva88Matias RamosSubstituted forJoão Márioat 86’minutes7Sousa SoaresSubstituted forYaremchukat 82’minutes9NúñezSubstitutes11Meité14Seferovic15Yaremchuk17Cupido Goncalves20João Mário22Lazaro23Radonjic31Bastião Dias34Magalhães de Almeida55Goncalves Bernardo77Aleixo Leite91Rodrigues da SilvaLiverpoolFormation 4-3-31Alisson66Alexander-Arnold5Konaté4van Dijk26Robertson8Keïta3Fabinho6Thiago Alcántara11Salah10Mané23Díaz1Alisson66Alexander-ArnoldSubstituted forGomezat 89’minutes5Konaté4van Dijk26Robertson8KeïtaSubstituted forMilnerat 89’minutes3Fabinho6Thiago AlcántaraBooked at 58minsSubstituted forHendersonat 61’minutes11SalahSubstituted forJotaat 61’minutes10ManéSubstituted forFirminoat 61’minutes23DíazSubstitutes7Milner9Firmino12Gomez14Henderson15Oxlade-Chamberlain17Jones18Minamino20Jota21Tsimikas32Matip62Kelleher67ElliottReferee:Jesús Gil ManzanoAttendance:59,633Live TextMatch ends, Benfica 1, Liverpool 3.Second Half ends, Benfica 1, Liverpool 3.Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Nicolás Otamendi.Attempt saved. Diogo Jota (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jordan Henderson with a through ball.Foul by Roberto Firmino (Liverpool).Alejandro Grimaldo (Benfica) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Foul by James Milner (Liverpool).Soualiho Meité (Benfica) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Foul by Luis Díaz (Liverpool).Soualiho Meité (Benfica) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Corner, Benfica. Conceded by Fabinho.Foul by James Milner (Liverpool).João Mário (Benfica) wins a free kick in the attacking half.Substitution, Liverpool. James Milner replaces Naby Keïta.Substitution, Liverpool. Joseph Gomez replaces Trent Alexander-Arnold.Goal! Benfica 1, Liverpool 3. Luis Díaz (Liverpool) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Naby Keïta with a through ball.Substitution, Benfica. João Mário replaces Gonçalo Ramos.Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Julian Weigl.Attempt blocked. Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jordan Henderson.Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Jan Vertonghen.Our coverage of Liverpool is bigger and better than ever before – here’s everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a momentEverything Liverpool – go straight to all the best content