KEY POINTS

  • Liverpool were held to a 3-3 draw by Benfica at Anfield
  • The Reds have now qualified for UCL semi-final
  • Liverpool are set to take on Villarreal in the last-four

Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino entered an elite list with his brace in the Reds' 3-3 draw against Benfica in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.

With the two goals against Benfica, Firmino took his Champions League goals tally to 20 for Liverpool. In the process, the Brazilian player became only the fourth Liverpool player to score 20 or more goals in the top European competition after Steven Gerrard, Mohamed Salah, and Sadio Mane, according to Liverpool's official website.

Gerrard, who captained Liverpool to Champions League glory in 2005, netted 21 goals and provided 14 assists in 73 appearances in the tournament for the Reds. Mane, who has been at Liverpool since 2016, has scored 22 Champions League goals and seven assists in 52 games.

Salah, who has been making and breaking records ever since his arrival at Anfield from Roma in 2017, has the most goals for Liverpool in the Champions League. The Egyptian King has netted 33 goals and 10 assists in 53 matches.

Salah, Mane and Firmino played a key role in Liverpool's Champions League victory in the 2018-19 season. The Reds had made it to the final even in the last season but unfortunately, they ended up losing to Real Madrid.

Liverpool had an injury-hit season in 2020-21. Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool were eliminated from the Champions League last season after losing the quarter-final leg against Real Madrid. Even in the Premier League, they faced a massive downfall that saw them out of the top four of the league table.

A hard fight put by Liverpool saw them win their last five games and finish third in the league table, sealing the Champions League for the 2021-22 campaign.

Liverpool's Roberto Firmino celebrates after scoring against Benfica
Liverpool's Roberto Firmino celebrates after scoring against Benfica AFP / Paul ELLIS

Now that Liverpool have progressed to the semi-final, this is Klopp's fourth UCL last-four appearance as a coach, the joint-most by a German manager (along with Jupp Heynckes and Ottmar Hitzfeld), according to ESPN. In his first three semi-finals, Klopp made it to the final each time.

Liverpool are set to take on Villarreal in the semi-final first leg at Anfield on April 27. The return leg is scheduled to take place on May 3.

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