Jurgen Klopp 'Delighted' as Liverpool Makes History With UCL Semifinal Comeback Against Villarreal

© AFP 2023 / PAUL ELLISLiverpool's Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk (L) vies with Villarreal's Spanish forward Gerard Moreno during the UEFA Champions League semi final second leg football match between Liverpool and Villarreal CF at La Ceramica stadium in Vila-real on May 3, 2022
Liverpool's Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk (L) vies with Villarreal's Spanish forward Gerard Moreno during the UEFA Champions League semi final second leg football match between Liverpool and Villarreal CF at La Ceramica stadium in Vila-real on May 3, 2022 - Sputnik International, 1920, 04.05.2022
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Liverpool are on course to claim an unprecedented quadruple this season, having already lifted the League Cup. The Reds have also progressed through to the final of the Champions League and the FA Cup and they remain one point shy of leaders Man City in the Premier League table.
On Tuesday night, Liverpool made history as they became the first English side to advance through to the final of the Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup in a single season.
The Merseyside club's historic feat came after Mohamed Salah and company mounted a sensational comeback in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final match against Villarreal in Spain.
At the break, the former Premier League champions were staring down the barrel, trailing the hosts 2-0. But then the tactician in Klopp came to the fore as he replaced Diogo Jota with Luis Diaz in the second half.
The Colombian's introduction had an immediate effect and Liverpool simply took off. Subsequently, goals from Fabinho, Diaz and Sadio Mane came within a span of 12 minutes, and the Reds went on to seal a memorable 3-2 victory in the match.
Having previously won the first leg at Anfield with a 2-0 scoreline, Liverpool went on to accomplish a 5-2 win on aggregate as they made it to the title clash of the continental tournament for the third time under Klopp.
Liverpool had earlier lost the Champions League final to Real Madrid in 2018 but were crowned champions the next year when they defeated Tottenham 2-0 at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid.
And the German manager was "delighted" to see his side reach the final of the European competition.
"I am delighted. It feels like the first one. This is the best competition in the world, I absolutely love it and I love what Villarreal did here with the crowd pushing them on," Klopp said in a press conference after Liverpool's win.
"We've played so many games - three competitions - and are not finished yet. I know these stories, first half a lot of people might have been happy we got a knock. It's difficult to reach three finals but we've made that happen," he added.
Meanwhile, Salah praised the side's never-say-die attitude for their fightback in the match.
"That character and personality in the dressing room shows that we are a top team, and that's how we can strike back after losing 2-0 in the first half playing away," the Egyptian concluded.
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