Zürcher Nachrichten - Diaz hits hat-trick as Liverpool spoil Alonso's return to Anfield

EUR -
AED 4.010259
AFN 73.151181
ALL 98.05088
AMD 422.792545
ANG 1.968205
AOA 996.278002
ARS 1083.880218
AUD 1.646153
AWG 1.957071
AZN 1.861135
BAM 1.959606
BBD 2.204963
BDT 130.503486
BGN 1.954505
BHD 0.411432
BIF 3163.521502
BMD 1.091811
BND 1.437479
BOB 7.546589
BRL 6.26524
BSD 1.092111
BTN 91.855576
BWP 14.522074
BYN 3.573909
BYR 21399.489713
BZD 2.201255
CAD 1.511257
CDF 3105.109477
CHF 0.942566
CLF 0.03785
CLP 1044.404335
CNY 7.744758
CNH 7.772922
COP 4821.981955
CRC 558.379465
CUC 1.091811
CUP 28.932984
CVE 110.599207
CZK 25.320151
DJF 194.036486
DKK 7.458077
DOP 66.027256
DZD 145.250579
EGP 53.661079
ERN 16.37716
ETB 132.05456
FJD 2.445929
FKP 0.83542
GBP 0.838145
GEL 2.964269
GGP 0.83542
GHS 17.90391
GIP 0.83542
GMD 78.071536
GNF 9422.326674
GTQ 8.428371
GYD 228.471684
HKD 8.485695
HNL 27.382601
HRK 7.521517
HTG 143.707817
HUF 408.626497
IDR 17160.534672
ILS 4.0906
IMP 0.83542
INR 91.837493
IQD 1430.272017
IRR 45957.04169
ISK 148.890536
JEP 0.83542
JMD 172.66538
JOD 0.774203
JPY 165.472607
KES 140.84297
KGS 94.083947
KHR 4449.128775
KMF 491.915592
KPW 982.629383
KRW 1505.500138
KWD 0.334368
KYD 0.910059
KZT 535.445128
LAK 23953.235074
LBP 97771.648777
LKR 320.028683
LRD 208.508573
LSL 18.975604
LTL 3.223833
LVL 0.660426
LYD 5.278886
MAD 10.688733
MDL 19.504707
MGA 5038.706659
MKD 61.511236
MMK 3546.158563
MNT 3709.972788
MOP 8.741299
MRU 43.569895
MUR 50.255732
MVR 16.824621
MWK 1894.835179
MXN 22.026733
MYR 4.737367
MZN 69.739456
NAD 18.96466
NGN 1814.283977
NIO 40.162193
NOK 11.966465
NPR 146.969122
NZD 1.81608
OMR 0.420386
PAB 1.092011
PEN 4.119943
PGK 4.378708
PHP 63.740459
PKR 303.411903
PLN 4.355603
PYG 8539.587032
QAR 3.974737
RON 4.974724
RSD 117.003876
RUB 106.775692
RWF 1490.321605
SAR 4.101523
SBD 9.061294
SCR 15.04077
SDG 656.726889
SEK 11.695094
SGD 1.435529
SHP 0.83542
SLE 24.838655
SLL 22894.720974
SOS 623.423828
SRD 38.109686
STD 22598.277126
SVC 9.55556
SYP 2743.20743
SZL 18.96484
THB 36.651542
TJS 11.630484
TMT 3.821337
TND 3.372063
TOP 2.557134
TRY 37.444195
TTD 7.40732
TWD 34.759433
TZS 2940.653434
UAH 45.293677
UGX 4009.751693
USD 1.091811
UYU 45.438258
UZS 13969.717586
VEF 3955141.617124
VES 47.387499
VND 27671.942183
VUV 129.621992
WST 3.058363
XAF 657.227559
XAG 0.032367
XAU 0.000401
XCD 2.950673
XDR 0.818182
XOF 657.816981
XPF 119.331742
YER 272.761598
ZAR 19.019119
ZMK 9827.6055
ZMW 29.457948
ZWL 351.5626
  • CMSC

    0.0400

    24.68

    +0.16%

  • RBGPF

    5.4100

    66.41

    +8.15%

  • RIO

    0.4900

    65.5

    +0.75%

  • NGG

    1.0200

    65.47

    +1.56%

  • GSK

    0.0500

    37.02

    +0.14%

  • BTI

    0.3500

    35.46

    +0.99%

  • SCS

    0.0700

    12.32

    +0.57%

  • RYCEF

    0.2000

    7.3

    +2.74%

  • RELX

    0.8500

    47.91

    +1.77%

  • CMSD

    0.1200

    25.04

    +0.48%

  • BP

    0.2300

    29.96

    +0.77%

  • VOD

    0.0900

    9.41

    +0.96%

  • BCC

    4.2300

    138.49

    +3.05%

  • AZN

    -5.1600

    66.27

    -7.79%

  • BCE

    -0.2800

    28.84

    -0.97%

  • JRI

    0.1700

    13.27

    +1.28%

Diaz hits hat-trick as Liverpool spoil Alonso's return to Anfield
Diaz hits hat-trick as Liverpool spoil Alonso's return to Anfield / Photo: Paul ELLIS - AFP

Diaz hits hat-trick as Liverpool spoil Alonso's return to Anfield

Xabi Alonso said his return to Anfield was bittersweet after Liverpool thrashed Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 on Tuesday, thanks to a Luis Diaz hat-trick, to go top of the Champions League table.

Text size:

Cody Gakpo was also on target as the Reds maintained their 100 percent record in Europe after four games.

Alonso, a Champions League winner during his playing days in the Liverpool midfield, turned his back on succeeding Jurgen Klopp to remain at Leverkusen after leading them to an unbeaten German league and cup double last season.

The Spaniard's name was chanted by the home support in the closing stages.

Liverpool, though, are not left wondering what might have been as Arne Slot continued his stunning start as manager with a 14th win in 16 games in all competitions.

"One thing is the game and the other thing was the reception," said Alonso, who played for the Reds between 2004 and 2009.

"I have a bitter feeling but I really appreciate and (I'm) thankful that after so many years I come here and still have that bond with the club. But it would have been nicer with a better result."

Leverkusen remain on seven points from their opening four Champions League matches after another sobering night for their ambitions to match the heights they hit last season.

Alonso's men sit fourth in the Bundesliga, seven points adrift of leaders Bayern Munich, and failed to master what their coach described pre-match as a "beautiful challenge".

Slot's decision to move Diaz into a central role up front proved inspired as the Colombian struck his first hat-trick for the club.

- Sleepless night -

Just like in Saturday's 2-1 win over Brighton that took Slot's men to the top of the Premier League, it took until the second half for both Liverpool and the Anfield crowd to come to life.

"Second half we could adjust the gameplan, we took more risks and we were better with the ball as well," said Slot.

"If you work or play at Liverpool you always feels pressure but we embrace this because we want to complete for everything. You have to accept if you work or play here you can enjoy these incredible evenings."

A cagey tactical battle was sparked into life on the hour mark by a moment of stunning quality.

Curtis Jones spun his marker before splitting the Leverkusen defence with a pinpoint pass for Diaz, who nonchalantly chipped the advancing Lukas Hradecky.

Two minutes later, Liverpool killed the visitors off with another flowing move.

Mohamed Salah's driven cross was headed in at the back post by the flying Gakpo.

The linesman raised his flag to momentarily silence the celebrations, but a VAR review showed the Dutch forward was onside for his sixth goal of the season.

Victor Boniface headed wide with a huge chance to bring Leverkusen immediately back into the game.

Instead, Liverpool pulled further clear seven minutes from time when Diaz controlled Salah's looping cross and fired home.

The Colombian then rounded off the scoring with his ninth goal of the season in stoppage time with another clinical finish after Darwin Nunez's blocked shot fell into his path.

Liverpool's return of 12 points means they are almost certainly already assured of a place in the knockout phase, but are closing in on sealing direct progression to the last 16 via a top-eight finish in the 36-team league.

Leverkusen slip to 11th but Alonso is confident of progressing with three of their remaining four games to come at home.

"We are in a good position to fight to go through to the next round," he added. "Today it will be tougher to sleep but we have time to see the positives as well."

A.P.Huber--NZN