Liverpool: Mignolet; Clyne, Touré, Lovren, Moreno; Milner, Emre Can; Lallana, Firmino (Benteke 89’), Coutinho (Allen 82’); Sturridge (Lucas Leiva 92’). 4-2-3-1.
Villarreal: Areola; Mario, Musacchio, Víctor Ruíz, Jaume Costa; Jonathan Dos Santos (Bonera 73‘), Tomás Pina (Trigueros 60’), Bruno, Denis Suárez; Soldado (Adrián López 68’), Bakambu. 4-4-2.
Goals:
1-0. 07. Bruno (own goal). Deflected Firmino cross past own keeper trying to clear.
2-0. 63. Sturridge. Picked up Firmino through ball and struck shot wide of Areola.
3-0. 81. Lallana. Poked shot past keeper after Sturridge played on Firmino cross.
Villarreal miss out on the Europa League final after they were beaten 3-0 by Liverpool, and the Premier League side will be Sevilla’s opponents in Basel. A one goal advantage from a week ago was quickly cancelled out when Bruno deflected Firmino’s cross in to his own net under pressure from Sturridge. Up to that point the visitors had had the better chances, Mario bringing a good save out of Mignolet and Dos Santos shooting wide, but from then on Jurgen Klopp’s side dominated, Lallana and Coutinho going close before the break, and Milner and Strurridge testing Areola after the restart. With just over an hour gone though Sturridge picked up a pass from Firmino to score his team’s second, Areola getting a touch to his shot only to see the ball hit the post and roll across the line, and a few minutes later the visitors were left with ten men when Víctor Ruíz picked up a second booking for a foul on Lallana. With ten minutes to go Lallana himself made it three after Sturridge scuffed his shot following more good work by Firmino, and only some good saves by Areola prevented Can, Sturridge, Allen and Lallana from adding to the scoreline later on. It was another disappointment for Marcelino’s side, and for the fourth time of asking in European competitions they lost out at the semi-final stage.