Liverpool continues quadruple charge with emphatic Champions League win over Benfica

By Matias Grez, CNN

Updated 0947 GMT (1747 HKT) April 6, 2022

Luis Díaz celebrates after scoring Liverpool's third goal against Benfica.

(CNN)Liverpool's charge towards a historic quadruple continued Tuesday as Jurgen Klopp's side ran out a comfortable 3-1 winner away to Benfica in its Champions League quarterfinal first leg.

Ibrahima Konaté and Sadio Mané gave Liverpool a 2-0 halftime lead, before Darwin Núñez pulled one back for Benfica within five minutes of the restart to give the home side some hope.However, Luis Díaz put the game — and likely the tie — to bed with just three minutes remaining with his first Champions League goal for his new club.But in his postmatch press conference, Klopp insisted that Liverpool's passage through to the semifinals is far from secure.«The tie is not closed because it's halftime and we know that,» he said. «We knew in halftime today that it's not done. Would have wished we wouldn't have given them the opportunity to come back in the game, but that's football, they deserved it, completely fine with that.Read More»It's an away game in the Champions League in the quarterfinal — if that would be easy, something would be wrong with the competition, but it's a great competition. READ: 30 years of dreaming — Liverpool's agonizing wait for English football's biggest prizeLiverpool takes a commanding 3-1 lead into the second leg at Anfield.«Benfica didn't get the quarterfinal as a present. They came through an incredibly tough group and played against one of the most talented teams in Europe with Ajax — and here they are. Today, they really wanted to go for it and they will want to go for it [at Anfield].»However, it wasn't all good news for Liverpool as Mo Salah's recent struggles in front of