UCL: Liverpool welcomed Xabi Alonso and Bayer with Diaz's hat-trick
The highlight of the Liverpool - Bayer match in the fourth round of the Champions League was the first return to Anfield of Xabi Alonso.
In the first half, there were no scoring chances as the defence outclassed the attack. Liverpool started the second half super active - Gravenberch found Salah with a pass, but he shot unsuccessfully from the right.
And then within three minutes Liverpool scored twice. Jones found Diaz with a pass between two defenders and the Colombian beat the Bayer goalkeeper. And almost immediately from Salah's cross, Gakpo headed the ball into an empty corner.
Five minutes later, Bayer should have got one goal back, but Boniface's header from a cross was just wide of the crossbar. In response, Gakpo shot into the far corner, however Hradecki saved, and on the rebound Alexander-Arnold shot over the goal.
In the 83rd minute Liverpool scored for the third time. Luis Diaz grabbed Hoffman by the shirt, but the referee did not prevent it from counting the goal.
Bayer tried to score at least one goal, yet Kelleher stopped the shots from Schick and Wirtz. And in the next attack of the guests Andrich tried to hit the bottom corner, but another wonderful save was made by Kelleher.
And in the added time Luis Diaz socred a hat-trick. Liverpool ran into a four-on-two counterattack - Nunez's shot was blocked, but Diaz was first on the rebound and calmly sent the ball into the net.
4-0 - in favour of Liverpool. Xabi Alonso will certainly remember his first return to Anfield as coach.
2024-25 UEFA Champions League
Liverpool - Bayer 04 4:0 (0:0)
Goals: Luis Díaz, 61 (1:0); Gakpo, 63 (2:0); Luis Díaz, 83 (3:0); Luis Díaz, 90 (4:0)
Liverpool: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold (Bradley C., 81); van Dijk; Konate (Quansah, 88); Tsimikas (Robertson A., 80); Gravenberch R.; Jones Cur. (Szoboszlai, 74); Mac Allister A.; Salah; Gakpo (Núñez D., 80); Luis Díaz
Bench: Davies H.; Jaroš V.; Gomez; Endo W.; Morton T.
Bayer 04: Hradecky; Grimaldo (Tella, 81); Hincapie; Tah J.; Tapsoba E.; Frimpong J.; Wirtz; Aleix Garcia (Andrich, 73); Xhaka; Palacios Ex. (Hofmann, 73); Boniface (Schick, 81)
Bench: Kovar M.; Lomb; Arthur Soares; Onyeka F-I.
Yellow Cards: Aleix Garcia 25; Hradecky 60
