SO it ends as it began, with barely a whimper. But at least Anfield finally caught glimpse of the men they hope can kick-start their team’s renaissance.

Liverpool bade farewell to the Champions League with a dismal 2-1 defeat to Fiorentina on an evening that did little to lift the gloom that has slowly enveloped the club this season.

Alberto Gilardino’s injury-time strike – the third Rafael Benitez’s side have conceded in this season’s competition – condemned Liverpool to consecutive home defeats in Europe for the first time in their history.

There was the small consolation of a return to action for Fernando Torres, the Spaniard making a 35-minute cameo as a second-half substitute.

But the main positive on a night of very few was the long-awaited full debut of Alberto Aquilani following his £18million summer capture from Roma.

Benitez had urged fans not to make an instant judgement on Aquilani – who had played just 22 minutes in six weeks before last night – and on this evidence it was easy to see why the manager had been so reticent to throw the midfielder into the hurly-burly of Premier League football.

Starting his first game in almost nine months following an ankle operation and subsequent lengthy rehabilitation, the Italian understandably appeared well short of match sharpness.

While the neat touches, clever movement and easy distribution that encouraged Benitez to splash out were all present and correct, it’s clearly going to be some time before Aquilani is capable of producing his best football.

That sharpness can only come from playing games. Sunday’s visit of Arsenal may be a step too far for the 25-year-old, but with Wigan Athletic and Wolverhampton Wanderers both also due at Anfield this month, there will soon be opportunities.

With a number four on his back, dark black hair flowing freely and a deceptively languid running style, at a casual glance Aquilani bears more than a passing resemblance to former Anfield favourite Mark Lawrenson. How Liverpool supporters will hope the Italian proves as much as a success.

Aquilani may have arrived too late to rescue this Champions League campaign but there is sufficient time for him to help ensure there will be another next season.

Yes, last night’s result may not have mattered in terms of this competition, with Liverpool having already been consigned to the Europa League with a game to spare.

But this will nonetheless act as another damaging blow after seemingly steadying the ship with a six-match unbeaten run.

Once again, Benitez’s side frittered away a first-half advantage, Yossi Benayoun’s opener having been cancelled out by Martin Jorgensen before Gilardino landed the damaging last-gasp blow.

From the laboured opening-day win over Debrecen, this has been a group of toil for Liverpool, elimination particularly galling given neither Fiorentina nor Lyon have any hope of lifting the trophy in Madrid in May.

Indeed, before last night, the Anfield outfit had scored only four goals in the competition, the same as a certain Michael Owen.

It’s a sobering thought, given the paucity of attacking options that have been at Benitez’s disposal for much of the campaign.

There was little respite for the Spaniard last night. With Torres only fit enough for bench duty and Andriy Voronin bombed out following the draw in Lyon last month, an illness to David Ngog meant Dirk Kuyt was the only senior forward available to start.

The introduction of Torres on 65 minutes brought the loudest cheer of the night. A niggling groin injury had restricted the Spaniard to only three appearances in the previous two months, with his last outing in Lyon five weeks ago.

Final Champions League group games in recent seasons have given Benitez the chance to experiment and, albeit for completely different reasons, there was an opportunity for fringe players to impress.

Andrea Dossena came in on the left wing for his first start since the Carling Cup win at Leeds United in September, while young right-back Stephen Darby was given a full debut after two substitute appearances last season.