The Champions League is heading toward a third all-English final in four seasons unless Spanish rivals can overturn first-leg losses.
Here’s a look at second-leg matches in the semifinals taking place this week:
TUESDAY:
VILLARREAL-LIVERPOOL (0-2)
Villarreal surpassed expectations to reach the final four after upsetting former champions Juventus and Bayern Munich, and Liverpool was unable to inflict a knockout blow at Anfield.
Still, Unai Emery, a master of strategy in knockout competitions, faces the enormous challenge of engineering a comeback over a Liverpool side that is seeking a historic quadruple of the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup titles.
Villarreal will rely on an attack that shares with Real Madrid the highest number of goals scored at home in the Spanish league this season (38). At its Estadio de la Cerámica, Villarreal also beat Bayern Munich 1-0 in the quarterfinals and had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Juventus despite outplaying the Italian side.