Díaz hat-trick dashes Alonso's hopes of Champions League return to Liverpool | Champions League

The best tribute to Xabi Alonso, wrote Arne Slot in his program notes, “is to be the best Liverpool we can be, without asking for a quarter and not giving a quarter.” His team obeyed ruthlessly and rolled the former Anfield favorites didn't so much pull out the red carpet as pull it out from under Bayer Leverkusen's feet and send the German champions to their knees.

At the final whistle, first Slot's name sounded from the Kop, then Alonso's. It was Liverpool's tribute to the man who got the job Alonso was touted for and his outstanding work so far. The Liverpool head coach has achieved a remarkable 14 wins in 16 games as manager, a record for a new Premier League coach, and his team now sit top of both the Champions League table and the English top flight.

After a sterile first half, when Alonso's tactics left Liverpool wondering who they should push, the game and the hosts came back to life after the break.

Luis Díaz made a rare start as a central striker and scored the first hat-trick of his Liverpool career. A powerful header from Cody Gakpo, two minutes after Díaz's wonderful opening goal, quickly brought Leverkusen to victory. They were dismantled in the second half and a team that had won the Bundesliga without defeat last season had to leave stronger.

It was a shocking return for Alonso, who suffered the worst defeat of his coaching tenure since the 5-1 defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt ten days after taking over at Leverkusen in October 2022.

It's rare for a manager to be celebrated by both sets of fans, but Alonso made an understandable exception. The Leverkusen coach received a rapturous reception from Liverpool fans when he gave a TV interview in front of the main stand before kick-off, and another from the traveling squad as he continued his media tours in their corner of the stadium.

A penny for Alonso's thoughts as he stood next to Frank Lampard on the pundits podium? During their time in midfield for Liverpool and Chelsea, the pair exchanged several blows. One of these led to Alonso breaking his ankle early in his Anfield career.

Leverkusen center forward Victor Boniface started on the left as the visitors changed their tactics to confuse Liverpool.

They were devastated when the hosts finally adapted. The dangerous Florian Wirtz provided the best opening of the first half with a wonderful chip over the Liverpool defense for Jeremie Frimpong. Instead of shooting, the Leverkusen full-back went down too easily at the slightest touch from Virgil van Dijk.

Experienced referee Danny Makkelie had none of his ambitious penalty appeals. Shortly before half-time, Frimpong beat Caoimhin Kelleher with a powerful finish, but clearly managed to knock the ball away from Kostas Tsimikas.

At this point, Liverpool had rarely tested Lukas Hradecky in the Leverkusen goal, but two chances in quick succession at the end of the half, with the goalkeeper saving Mohamed Salah and Gakpo at his near post, signaled a change in momentum.

Liverpool's improvement increased several gears after the break. Leverkusen tried to fend off the situation with slow, patient play in the deep defense. It was a little too obvious for Makkelie's liking, who dismissed the visiting goalkeeper after several warnings for wasting time. Hradecky's problems were compounded when he was beaten by an exquisite Díaz chip seconds later.

Curtis Jones was instrumental in Liverpool's best work. The midfielder showed good footwork in the penalty area and created an early chance, but fired his shot high into the Kop. A rapid run from Ryan Gravenberch then led to a clear opening for Salah, who showed why he let his left foot have such devastating effect confident by hitting the goal wide with his right hand. Doesn't matter. Liverpool's threat remained and Jones broke through the Leverkusen defense with a great pass behind Edmond Tapsoba and into the path of Díaz. The Colombia international waited for Hradecky to break through before firing a wonderful chip over the advancing goalkeeper.

The Bundesliga champions, like Brighton before them, were hit by a quick second goal from Liverpool. Alonso's side still had their heads clear when Salah exchanged passes with Díaz and fired a beautiful cross to the far post for the first time. Gakpo, who rose freely, sent a powerful header past the Leverkusen goalkeeper. Liverpool's celebration was initially interrupted by an assistant's flag for offside. The VAR revived it after a detailed review that corrected the assistant's error.

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Boniface, who was struggling overall, wasted a great chance to reduce the deficit when he headed Wirtz's cross wide. Liverpool made him pay. Hradecky prevented Alexis Mac Allister from scoring a third with a good save from down the left, but was beaten again when Salah fired in another inviting cross from the right. Díaz shrugged off substitute Jonas Hofmann's attention before firing a measured finish into the far corner.

With three zeros, the idle Kop decided it was time to sing Alonso's name. Díaz decided it was time for his hat trick. Hradecky was denied by substitute Darwin Núñez, but the rebound failed perfectly, allowing the makeshift striker to convert from close range.