The report from goal has it that Liverpool are firm favourites to overcome Villarreal and reach the Champions League final but in Unai Emery, they face a serial cup-winner, who stunned Bayern Munich and vanquished Juventus as underdogs on the way here.

“They have probably the most successful cup competition manager in world football so he knows what he is doing,” warned Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp, fully aware of his opposite number’s quality.

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“Unai Emery is the king of the cups. It is unbelievable what he is doing.”

Statistics has it that the Basque coach won the Europa League three years running with Sevilla between 2014-16, lifted it a record fourth time last season with Villarreal, and in 2019 finished runners-up with Arsenal.

Emery also won the Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue twice each while in charge of Paris Saint-Germain and has made a name for himself as a formidable opponent in life-or-death competitions.

In domestic divisions, Emery led PSG to Ligue 1 in 2017-18, but apart from that has not enjoyed the same success as he has in tournament football, something he has become a specialist in.

One reason is quite simple – desire.

At Sevilla and Villarreal in particular, the Europa League has been valued higher than it is at other clubs. It’s a tournament Emery and his teams want to win, while elsewhere it is sometimes held in lesser regard.

“I’m in love with the Europa League,” admitted the coach this season, although now his sights are set on a higher goal.JAMB Result

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