Campaign in full swing as Barcelona take beating

May 22 2007 Liverpool Daily Post

ROUND OF 16 FIRST LEG

Feb 21: BARCELONA 1 LIVERPOOL 2

STEVEN GERRARD called it the turning point of the European campaign – and Liverpool had to negotiate some pretty tricky corners to get there.

As if kicking off the knockout round at the Nou Camp against the reigning champions wasn’t daunting enough, Liverpool’s preparations were then thrown into chaos during their break in Portugal for a training camp.

It was there that a late-night altercation between Craig Bellamy and John Arne Riise, in which the Welshman allegedly branded a golf club at his team- mate, that stole the headlines ahead of the build-up to this tie.

And it led to Liverpool being written off in many quarters, despite Rafael Benitez’s insistence that he had dealt with the matter and restored harmony to the squad.

A series of apparently well- staged photo opportunities in which Bellamy and Riise were laughing hysterically together on the training ground did little to convince that this was the case – but what the two players did on the pitch during the game certainly did.

Incredibly, it was Bellamy and Riise who got the away goals that gave Liverpool one foot in the quarter-finals and secured one of their best results on foreign soil in the competition.

Last week Bellamy again re-iterated his “you guys made a bigger deal of it than it was” preaching to the media when asked about the confrontation with Riise, which he acknowledged in his goal celebration by swinging an invisible club.

But it was hard not to disagree with him as he and Riise and the rest of the team proved the hangover from the Portugal trip hadn’t lingered long into the week.

Which didn’t seem the case in the 14th minute when Barcelona took the lead through Deco heading in Gianluca Zam- brotta’s cross from the left.

But Liverpool then did what Benitez’s teams do best in Europe. They slowed the game down, dictated the pace with careful use of possession and steadily frustrated their hosts by stifling their storming start.

And just two minutes before half-time Bellamy picked his moment perfectly, stealing in at the far post to plant Steve Finnan’s cross past Victor Valdes, who fumbled the ball over the line.

The winner came on 74 minutes as Liverpool, by now totally in control, this time benefited from Bellamy and Riise combining to dangerous effect.

The scorer of the first goal teed up the second for the Norwegian, who kept up the surreal feel of the night’s events by planting the ball into the roof of the net with his right – yes, right – foot.

The outcome could hardly have been better for Liverpool, but Benitez was his usual reserved self after the final whistle.

And he confessed that he didn’t even know Bellamy had scored at first because he was too busy concentrating on what to do after half-time.

He revealed: “I didn’t see Bellamy’s celebration. I thought the keeper was going to catch the ball and I was thinking about what to do in the second half so I didn't realise it was a goal at first.

“But I am really pleased with Craig and the team. I am really pleased that both him and Riise scored and they got the goals that mattered.

“But the job is not done. It’s clear we have a good chance of going through but we need to be careful.

“Barcelona are really good at playing on the counter attack and with very good offensive players and we need to do our best against them in the second leg.”

Bellamy, whose son Ellis celebrated his 10th birthday on the night of the game, said: “The criticism doesn’t bother me, I just try to get on with things.

“As good as the result is, there’s still a long way to go but I’m gobsmacked – just coming to the Nou Camp today was unreal.”

ROUND OF 16 SECOND LEG

Mar 5: LIVERPOOL 0 BARCELONA 1 (aggregate 2-2, Liverpool win on away goals)

BENITEZ’S message that there was still work for Liverpool to do in the second leg was taken on board by the supporters inside a pulsating Anfield.

Despite their team’s lead and two away goals form the first leg, they refused to let up in their intimidation of Barcelona and created another memorable atmosphere.

Which Benitez recognised when, after the game, he declared: “We always have the best supporters in the world and tonight they were almost perfect.

“I am really proud of them and the players, they were amazing.”

Knocking out the holders even led to those mainstays of the 2005 final win over AC Milan, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher to declare it as Liverpool’s best result in Europe.

There was a certain amount of tension inside Anfield because the tie was still delicately poised but any fears of a Barcelona comeback could have ben erased if early strikes by Riise and Momo Sissoko had been marginally lower rather than cannoning back off the crossbar.

But thanks to the magnificent Jamie Carragher among others, Liverpool never looked like conceding the two goals that their Spanish visitors – who had a clearly unfit Samuel Eto’o back in their attack – knew they had to score to progress.

They did get one, Eidur Gudjohnsen with a composed finish to ensure a nervy final 15 minutes, but Liverpool held out to reach the quarter-finals an avoid a repeat of the last-16 exit from last year.

And new American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett were immediately won over by the unique Anfield experience.

Hicks said: “It’s my first time at Anfield and everything I’d heard was true.

“It was a special night for all the fans and a wonderful occasion. It was so great.

“I’d heard so much about the fans here and it was spectacular, the Kop was just special. I’ve seen a lot of sporting events all around the world but nothing comes close to that.”

Gillett added: “That was like nothing I’ve ever heard or felt before.”

QUARTER-FINAL FIRST LEG

Apr 3: PSV EINDHOVEN 0 LIVERPOOL 3

STEVEN GERRARD admitted he was “embarrassed to have taken the European Cup goalscorer record of legendary striker Ian Rush as Liverpool all but assured their place in second semi-final in three years with a 3-0 victory in Holland.

But it was Ronald Koeman’s Dutch champions who were embarrassed as Liverpool cruised to victory with goals from their skipper, John Arne Riise and Peter Crouch.

Having already beaten the Dutch champions in the group stages and ousted holders Barcelona, thoughts of a seventh European Cup final appearance and second in three years were very real.

But only a thoroughly professional performance would help Rafael Benitez’s side would provide that. And it was captain Gerrard who provided the platform for victory as he opened the scoring after 27 minutes.

Jamie Carragher, who broke Ian Callaghan’s European appearance record on the night, had brought out an excellent save from home keeper Gomes with a header. But without the influential Alex, out injured, PSV were no match for Liverpool and Gerrard headed home Finnan’s cross to score his 15th European Cup goal to eclipse another club record set by Rush.

Gerrard, who as a youngster had watched Rush break numerous goal-scoring records in the all-conquering Liverpool side of 1980s, had eclipsed the master marksman.

He was genuinely humbled about the feat afterwards, saying: “I’m a it embarrassed to be honest. He is someone I’ve watched as a kid and I never dreamt I’d break one of his records. I don’t think I’ll be breaking any of his other ones.

“I’m flattered, but it’s not really important to me, though. What’s more important is how well the team is doing. It was a really good team performance and hopefully we can go all the way.”

The drubbing of the Dutchmen continued after half-time when Xabi Alonso twice went close before Liverpool doubled their lead four minutes into the second half.

Riise, who had scored with his right foot in the Nou Camp, used his more trusty left with a trademark 25-yard rocket that flew past Gomes.

The game and tie were virtually over when the in-form Crouch headed in from man-of- the-match Finnan’s cross in the 63rd-minute.

The only real downside was the injury to Brazilian Fabio Aurelio, who was ruled out for the season with an Achilles injury.

Liverpool were not looking ahead to the potential re-run of the 2005 semi-final with Chelsea despite their emphatic lead and Benitez said: “We know that we are closer now but in football you need to play every game and be focused. We must be careful. There is no room for complacency. We must approach the game seriously.”

QUARTER-FINAL SECOND LEG

Apr 11 LIVERPOOL 1 PSV EINDHOVEN 0 (Liverpool win 4-0 on aggregate)

RAFAEL BENITEZ got his retaliation in first ahead of the expected Jose Mourinho’s mind games after Liverpool confirmed their place in the semi-finals against Chelsea with a 1-0 win over PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

Peter Crouch scored the only goal of the game to secure a 4-0 aggregate success over the Dutch champions, but everyone at Anfield, not least the Liverpool manager were already looking ahead to Chelsea and a third successive semi-final meeting in three years.

Benitez had outsmarted his Portuguese counterpart with success in the Champions League semi-finals en route to Istanbul glory in 2005 and Liverpool had also denied Mourinho and his Chelsea side a place in the FA Cup final 12 months before with a 2-1 last-four victory at Old Trafford.

And with the expected war of words with his Iberian rival, Benitez said: “We were good friends until we started beating them, then he changed his mind.

“Jose has a very good relationship with the managers that he beats but he is always fighting with the managers of the top clubs. We know Chelsea and they know us. They are a very, very difficult team to play against. But as a manager, you must always have confidence you can progress”

Liverpool set up the meeting with the Londoners thanks to a routine second-leg win over PSV.

Despite Benitez preaching caution and not to believe the tie was already over following the 3-0 victory in Holland, his team-sheet told a different story with several squad members in among six changes to the line-up from the first leg.

Liverpool has done much of the attacking without really stretching themselves and their task was made easier by the harsh sending off of 18-year-old debutant Marcellis in the 64th minute. Four minutes later Crouch scored the only goal of the game. Fowler turning the ball back across goal after Gomes has saved from his own player Carlos Salcido and his strike partner scored from close range. It was the England forward’s seventh of the competition, equalling Roger Hunt and Steven Gerrard’s record for the competition over the course of a season.

Compiled by NICK SMITH and CHRIS WRIGHT TOMORROW: More misery for Chelsea