Liverpool vs Villarreal in the Champions League on April 26.2022 – Odds & Prediction

Liverpool’s recent form has been, quite frankly, ridiculous.

Jurgen Klopp has his Reds peaking at the perfect moment this season as they fight on four fronts to write their names further into the history books.

They’ve lost just three matches since being knocked out of last season’s Champions League to Real Madrid way back in April, 2021 – away to West Ham United and Leicester City in the Premier League, and a 1-0 home loss to Inter whilst still winning the tie.

Villarreal are plucky fighters under Emery and won’t be overawed by the magnitude of the tie, but their four losses to nil across their last nine away matches in all comps doesn’t look happy reading for the visitors to Anfield here.

With that in mind, we can’t ignore the odds of 11/10 (Betway) as well available with all of the reliable sports betting websites – for a Liverpool to win to nil.

Barring a small injury to Roberto Firmino, Liverpool are pretty much at a full compliment throughout their squad.

Their recruitment over the last couple of windows has been close to perfection and now have a dangerous quintet of forwards to rotate in Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Sadio Mane, Diogo Jota and the previously mentioned Firmino.

Their defence is also proving pretty hard to breach at Anfield, with six of their last nine wins on home turf being accompanied by a clean sheet.

Villarreal’s fortunes in this tie could well depend on the fitness of their star striker Gerard Moreno.

The 30-year-old has hit double figures for the Yellow Submarine over the last three seasons and was forced off with a hamstring injury against Getafe at the weekend.

Despite struggling with a number of injuries this season, Moreno is such a key man for Unai Emery, underlined at the weekend with his seventh-minute strike before having to be substituted.

Villarreal sit seventh following a fairly positive campaign in La Liga, with much of their concentration now placed on this rare Champions League run. They have won just four of their 16 away matches in the league scoring just 15 goals, so there will be obvious concerns when travelling to Merseyside.

Liverpool and Villarreal’s only previous meeting came at the semi-final stage of the 2015/16 Europa League.

Over two legs, Liverpool came out on top 3-1 on aggregate, overturning a 1-0 defeat in Spain from the opening leg courtesy of an own goal and strikes from Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana.

But in terms of history in European competition, Liverpool are head and shoulders above the Yellow Submarine.

The Reds have six Champions League, three UEFA Cups and four UEFA Super Cup trophies to their name, whereas Villarreal only have last seasons Europa League win to their name as well as two Intertoto Cup wins in 2003 and 2004.

Managers Jurgen Klopp and Unai Emery have met on five occasions throughout their careers, with the German winning three, one draw and Emery taking one.

Anfield has a capacity of close to 54,000, and this will undoubtedly be a sell-out as the home faithful will turn out in their numbers for another historic semi-final.

As we’ve come to expect on European nights at Anfield, they will create a special atmosphere, particularly if the team respond and give them something to get behind the team.

That in turn usually involves Klopp’s men making a fast start and putting the opposition under pressure, and with a cauldron-like feeling, it will be another factor that Villarreal will have to manage and avoid becoming influential.

Villarreal’s plucky underdog story has been stunning, going from an unlikely Europa League title to Champions League semi-final in back-to-back seasons.

As good as the Yellow Submarine have been in tearing up the form book, it’s hard to envisage them toppling this Liverpool side on current form.

Their aggressive press and ability to control football matches at Anfield should lend itself to a fairly routine win in this Champions League semi-final first leg, despite the pressures of all that is up for grabs.