Joe Allen is optimistic Liverpool can overturn their first-leg deficit against Villarreal and reach the Europa League final.
Joe Allen is optimistic Liverpool can overturn their first-leg deficit against Villarreal and reach the Europa League final.
The
two teams meet at Anfield for Thursday's semi-final second leg after
the Spanish side won the opening encounter 1-0 at El Madrigal thanks to
Adrian Lopez's stoppage-time strike.
The winners
of the tie will face either holders Sevilla or Shakhtar Donetsk in the
final in Basel on May 18 and midfielder Allen is confident Liverpool
will be there.
"Villarreal will have their work
cut out," he told UEFA. "On another night we would have won [the first
leg], which would have been ideal.
"But I'm confident that we have got enough to win this second leg and put them out.
"There
was an extremely fine line between us imposing our gameplan in the
first leg and getting a 1-0 win ourselves, and the way the match
actually turned out.
"As hard as it was to
concede that goal, particularly so late, I really thought we all gave a
good account of ourselves. Games like that are what you look forward to
all career – big matches in a semi-final of a UEFA competition.
"We
did our preparation well and we learned a great deal for the game at
Anfield. If – and only if – we go through, we'll be able to look back
and, despite losing 1-0, say we did a very good job in Spain."
Allen
acknowledged Liverpool had found it difficult to cope with the playing
style of Villarreal, which he found significantly different to that of
Premier League teams.
"It was a tough experience," added the Wales international, 26.
"The
tactical element was a big test for everyone in terms of coming up
against a team which plays differently to what we are used to.
"Technically,
they move the ball so well. Top Spanish teams tend to be
possession-based – something we don't meet week in, week out in
England."
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