Liverpool set semis date with Barcelona

PORTO, Portugal: Liverpool set up a mouthwatering Champions League semi-final against Barcelona on Wednesday after their superstar front three all scored in a 4-1 win away at FC Porto that saw them cruise into the last four 6-1 on aggregate.

On a wet night at the Estadio do Dragao, Liverpool had to weather an early storm before scoring from their first attempt just before the half-hour mark, Sadio Mane prodding home for a goal given after a lengthy VAR review.

Already in control of the tie after a 2-0 win at Anfield in the first leg last week, Liverpool had effectively killed off Porto there and then, but Mohamed Salah, substitute Roberto Firmino and Virgil van Dijk added further goals after the break.

Eder Militao scored a consolation for the hosts 21 minutes before the end, but this was another miserable night for them after they lost 5-0 to the same opponents on this ground a year ago.

Liverpool now march on to a clash with Lionel Messi’s Barca, the first meeting of the clubs since a last-16 encounter in 2006/07 that Liverpool won on away goals.The dream of a Champions League and Premier League double remains alive for Liverpool and their supporters, whose spirits were not dampened by the dreary weather by the banks of the River Douro.

This was their 17th game without defeat and their eighth straight victory, although Barcelona will offer a far tougher test than that provided by Porto.The first leg of that tie is in a fortnight, and in the meantime Liverpool will revert their focus to domestic matters, with games against Cardiff City and Huddersfield Town up next.

In Manchester, Manchester City’s bid for an unprecedented quadruple of trophies ended in dramatic fashion as Tottenham progressed to the Champions League semi-finals on away goals as a pulsating 4-3 win for City on Wednesday was not enough to overturn their 1-0 first leg deficit.

Four goals were scored in a crazy opening 11 minutes as Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva cancelled out two Son Heung-min away goals for Tottenham.City finally looked set for the last four when further goals from Sterling and Sergio Aguero put them ahead in the tie for the first time.

But there was a further twist when Fernando Llorente’s controversial goal 17 minutes from time was allowed to stand despite a VAR check for handball by the Spaniard.VAR intervened again deep into stoppage time to save Spurs once more when Sterling thought he had completed his hat-trick only for Aguero to be ruled offside in the build-up.

Tottenham’s reward is a semi-final clash against Ajax.Pep Guardiola will face more questions over his failure to land the Champions League three seasons into his City’s reign, but after a more conservative approach for the first leg was criticised, he set the tone for a thrilling 90 minutes.