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Benfica striker Darwin Nunez has heaped praise on Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson for his incredible save during their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal clash.
The two teams played out a pulsating 3-3 draw in the second leg at Anfield on Wednesday, but the Reds advanced to the semi-finals 6-4 on aggregate. Benfica could've won the match, though, with Nunez, scorer of their third goal, seeing an emphatic finish thwarted by Alisson.
Just minutes after pulling the Eagles level on the night, the Uruguayan smashed another effort at goal less than nine minutes from time. However, the Liverpool goalkeeper jumped right in time to deny Nunez.
Without Alisson, the hosts would've lost the second leg, and Nunez himself couldn't help but be awe-inspired by the Brazilian's goalkeeping prowess. After the game, he told Sky Sports Italia:
"That Alisson save? That was incredible. I swear to you, I saw the ball going in.. and then it wasn't."
Benfica gave Liverpool a serious run for their money, fighting back from two goals down on the night to draw level. After Goncalo Ramos had cancelled out Ibrahima Konate's opener, Roberto Firmino hit a brace to put the Reds 3-1 up and 6-2 ahead on aggregate.
The game was effectively over as a contest, but Roman Yaremchuk and Nunez struck late on to make it 3-3 on the night and make the scoreline more respectable.
Liverpool saw off the rest of the game to seal their place in the last four, where they face Villarreal for a place in the final. Manchester City take on Real Madrid in the other last-four clash.
Liverpool target Darwin Nunez sizzles in Premier League audition
Darwin Nunez has been on fire this season, netting 32 goals across competitions from 37 appearances, including two against Liverpool in this quarterfinal tie.
He scored in Benfica's 3-1 loss in the first leg last week. Nunez returned to haunt Jurgen Klopp's side with another strike at Anfield, his sixth in the UEFA Champions League this season.
The Uruguayan star's blistering run hasn't gone unnoticed, with a few Premier League teams expressing interest.
Manchester United have been linked with Nunez as they look to reinforce their attacking arsenal this summer. However, the Reds, as well as Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, are also rumoured to be in the running.
According to The Sun, the player prefers a move to Anfield, and if last night was an 'audition' for his potential transfer, he passed that with flying colours. However, his performances could also see interested parties enter a bidding war, with transfer pundit Fabrizio Romano estimating his price tag at €75-80 million.
