Real Madrid and Liverpool will lock horns in the 2022 Champions League final after both teams came through their respective semi-final ties this week.
Liverpool survived a scare in Villarreal, going down 2-0 in the first half of the second leg to leave the tie level at 2-2, but they scored three times in the second period to record a 5-2 aggregate victory.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, were on the verge of being knocked out by Manchester City before they scored two late goals to record a 2-1 win on the night, which left the tie level at 5-5 heading into extra-time.
Karim Benzema then came up with a third for Los Blancos from the penalty spot in extra-time, as the newly-crowned La Liga champions triumphed 6-5 on aggregate.
Here, Sports Mole selects its Champions League Team of the Week from the second legs of the semi-finals in Europe's leading cup competition.
DEFENCE
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There was not too much in the way of quality goalkeeping or strong defensive work during Villarreal's clash with Liverpool, so the goalkeeper and back four in this team are all from Wednesday's second semi-final.
Thibaut Courtois gets the nod between the sticks, with the Belgium international making eight saves during a strong performance against Man City. The 29-year-old was also incredibly important in extra-time, as he continued to take the pressure off his back four with a series of impressive claims.
There are three Real Madrid defenders in this side, and Dani Carvajal is unfortunate to miss out at right-back, but Eder Militao, Nacho and Ferland Mendy all deserve their spots. Militao and Nacho were excellent in the middle of the defence, while Mendy was impressive at left-back, winning three aerial duels and completing 34 of his 46 passes during an all-action performance.
There is also a spot in the defence for Man City's Joao Cancelo, who started at left-back before switching across to right-back once Kyle Walker had left the field. The Portugal international completed three dribbles, won two tackles and boasted a pass success rate of 84% during a strong display in the Spanish capital.
MIDFIELD
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Fabinho scored a vital goal for Liverpool just past the hour in Spain, which allowed the Reds to regain control of the semi-final, and he was excellent in the 20-minute spell that followed, with Jurgen Klopp's side surviving a scare to reach the final, so the Brazilian had to be included here.
There is also a spot for Etienne Capoue, who provided two assists in the first half of the clash with Liverpool. The evening ultimately ended in disappointment for the 33-year-old, who was sent off late on, but he was still one of Villarreal's best players on the night and deserves to be named in this particular side.
The third and final position in midfield goes to Federico Valverde, who was brilliant against Man City, using his energy to disrupt the English champions throughout the contest. Valverde also won four aerial duels and made five tackles during a disciplined performance, and he was still chasing balls down in the final moments of extra-time while a number of his teammates struggled.
ATTACK
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Bernardo Silva might have been on the wrong end of the result in Madrid on Wednesday, but the Portugal international still enjoyed an impressive match. The 27-year-old's clever pass allowed Riyad Mahrez to make the breakthrough at Bernabeu, while he completed five dribbles and finished the match with a pass success rate of 90%, demonstrating his immense quality throughout the contest once again.
Luis Diaz, meanwhile, changed the game off the bench for Liverpool against Villarreal, getting his name on the scoresheet in the 67th minute and disrupting the Yellow Submarine with his quality on and off the ball. The attacker has been a brilliant signing for the Reds and produced exactly what his team needed in the semi-final.
The final spot in the XI is awarded to Rodrygo, who also changed his team's match off the bench, scoring in the 90th and 91st minute to send Real Madrid into extra-time against Man City. The Brazilian might have won it with a late chance, meanwhile, and it was an incredible contribution from the 21-year-old, who used his pace and power to disturb Man City when the English outfit were chasing a leveller.
SPORTS MOLE'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TEAM OF THE WEEK
Sports Mole's Champions League team of the week (4-3-3): Courtois; Cancelo, Nacho, Militao, F Mendy; Capoue, Fabinho, Valverde; Rodrygo, L Diaz, Bernardo
Matt Law
