Liverpool one of 2 English clubs in Europe .
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Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is wary of the threat posed by Benfica having previously been dumped out of Europe by them.
Four years ago the Portuguese side ended the Reds' hopes of becoming the first side to win back-to-back Champions League titles when they lost 3-0 over two legs.
Benfica are currently three points clear of Braga at the top of the Portuguese Liga and Benitez will not underestimate their last-eight opponents, who include among their ranks Pablo Aimar, who Benitez managed at Valencia.
"We know they are a good team and, of course, we have played them before in the Champions League," said the Liverpool manager.
"They are a massive club with a lot of support from their fans and it will be a tough game.
"They are top of the table and playing really well at the moment. I know a number of their players well - Aimar, Javier Saviola, Javi Garcia - so we know they have a lot of quality."
Benitez has got his preferred order in terms of the away leg being first but he is concerned the Anfield factor may not have as much of an effect on Benfica as it has had on other visiting sides over recent years.
The Lisbon side won 2-0 on Merseyside back in 2006 and the Liverpool boss believes that will give their opponents confidence.
"It's always important that the second leg is at home in front of our fans," he added.
"We know we have to perform away and then play well at home. We have the confidence to do that and are looking forward to the games.
"Because we have played Benfica before they will know Anfield and so may not be as scared as other teams, but we have to do things properly and try to go through."
Should they get through against Benfica, Liverpool will face either Valencia or striker Fernando Torres' former club Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals.
"You know my idea is always to take one game at a time," he said.
"We are only thinking about Benfica at the moment. They are on a good run so it will be difficult."
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1st Leg Benfica 2 - Liverpool 1
Precious away goal .
We will win by 1 or more goals , clean sheet @ Anfield .
If 0-0 , good bye to Liverpool .
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It will be the last season for most of players if Liverpool cannot play CL next season.
Stevie and Torres will play their heart out but if Ah Ben is insistence for defensive tactics, that will spell doom for Liverpool.
Unless Ah Ben is replaced by Jose, Liverpool cannot clinched the coveted EPL title and remain competitive with petty Ah Ben around.
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same defensive formation again. 4-2-3-1
masch and lucas as anchormans.
benfica playing 4-4-2
with cardozo and aimar up front.
we've to watch out for di maria. -
its rafa's favourite formation cos he wants the two of them to protect the back 4. he is being defensive minded.
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first 10minutes all benfica, no liverpool.
benfica has been keeping possesion. -
Originally posted by ASKL!:
first 10minutes all benfica, no liverpool.
benfica has been keeping possesion.
maybe lucas thgt that his team is 2-1 up. -
liverpool 1 benfica 0. liverpool is thru on away goals now if score remains same.
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controversial goal.
linesman thought the ball hit off a defender before kyut.
but ref over ruled that. -
LOL lucas did a torres. maybe that will be the first last for his entire career.
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hope liverpool dun turn out to be like last night united vs bayern match. leading 3-1 at half time, only to come out one player down and lose 4-4 on aggregate.
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Liverpool 4 Benfica 1: Dirk Kuyt's flying high for Rafa Benitez as Reds book last four spot
Liverpool's players must sometimes wake up and wonder just how a season that began with such promise has reached the home straight with them playing in the Europa League. When all is said and done, it remains Europe’s second-rate competition.
Nevertheless, Rafael Benitez and his improving team have set about their quest for a consolation prize with admirable zeal in recent weeks and last night’s defeat of Benfica has now made them clear favourites to lift the trophy in Hamburg next month.
For all that they have laboured this season, Benitez’s players have recently shown flashes of the football of which they are capable. It has come far too late to rescue their Barclays Premier League hopes, of course. The team will be hard pushed to finish fourth.
Double trouble: Fernando Torres celebrates the first of his two goals
But in Europe they have found a little of their true selves and at a capacity Anfield last night they advanced to a semi-final date with Atletico Madrid on the back of some expansive attacking football.
Victory didn’t come without some anxiety, of course. It seems to be the way with English teams in European competition of late.
Unlike neighbours Manchester United the night before, Liverpool’s carelessness in conceding a goal with 20 minutes left did not lead to the calamity that for a while looked possible as Benfica pressed forwards late in the game.
A goal from Fernando Torres — his second and his team’s fourth — with 10 minutes left ensured that didn’t happen.
They were unlucky to lose the first leg in Lisbon to two penalties and a red card a week ago and last night they were, after a slow start, the better side by some distance.
The highlight was, as is often the case, a Torres goal. His first of the night and Liverpool’s third, it arrived just before the hour and was superb.
Dirk Kuyt — by far the game’s best player — and the Brazilian midfielder Lucas had given Liverpool a half-time lead with two well executed goals but the one that followed the interval revived memories of Terry McDermott’s breakaway effort against Tottenham here in the late 1970s.
This one wasn’t in that class perhaps, but it was breathtaking all the same.
Breakaway goal: Lucas glides the ball past Benfica keeper Julio Cesar
When a Benfica set piece came to nothing on the edge of the Liverpool penalty area, the side broke with remarkable speed.
Javier Mascherano began the move with a run and pass to Yossi Benayoun. The little Israeli then spotted Kuyt charging down the right flank and when the ball was passed his way the Dutch striker delivered a first time cross for Torres to ram home at the far post.
It was a goal that effectively won the match and sealed the tie. It will be remembered for a long time.This, too, was one of Liverpool’s better attacking performances of the season. They actually began hesitantly and Benfica were the better side for 20 minutes, creating one half chance for David Luiz.
However, the game turned on a set piece in the 27th minute as once Kuyt headed in Steven Gerrard’s corner, they never really looked back. It was an odd goal as Kuyt was initially flagged offside by a linesman. Only when referee Bjorn Kuipers pointed out that the rules do not allow for offside from corners or throw-ins was Kuyt’s effort allowed to stand.
It was a peculiar, confusing moment and embarrassing for the linesman. Nevertheless, Liverpool were in front and as the goal gave them the confidence to express themselves they doubled their lead within two minutes or so.
Flying start: Dirk Kuyt (left) puts Liverpool a goal to the good after 26 minutes
A totally different goal, this one began with Benayoun’s dart infield towards the centre circle from the left touchline. Leaving his marker behind, he fed Gerrard and the captain’s smart through pass released Lucas in to space.
The South American is not exactly Liverpool’s most expansive player but he is showing signs of greater ambition these days and the manner in which he shimmied around goalkeeper Julio Cesar to score was a movement worthy of Torres himself.
With their noses now ahead in the tie, Liverpool never really looked as though they would give up on their task. The Benfica central defender Sidnei shot across goal from an angle just before half-time but once Torres converted in such sumptuous
fashion with half an hour to go the home team were on their way to a semi-final match up with his old club Atletico.
Consolation: Oscar Cardozo hits his third goal of the tie
MATCH FACTS
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Reina 6; Johnson 5, Carragher 6, Kyrgiakos 6, Agger 6; Mascherano 7, Lucas 6; Kuyt 8, Gerrard 7 (Aquilani 88min), Benayoun 6 (El Zhar 90); Torres 7 (Ngog 86). Booked: Benayoun.
Benfica (4-1-3-1-1): Julio Cesar 6 (Moreira 79); Ruben Amorim 6, Luisao 6, Sidnei 7, David Luiz 5; Javi Garcia 6; Ramires 6, Martins 6 (Kardec 66, 5),
Di Maria 5; Aimar 7 (Coentrao 86); Cardozo 5. Booked: Aimar.
Man of the match: Dirk Kuyt.
Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Holland).Only briefly did Liverpool’s nerves jangle and, for once, the blame lay with their captain Gerrard.
The free-kick struck by forward Oscar Cardozo in the 70th minute was a poor one and should have hit the base of the wall. But when Gerrard jumped unnecessarily the ball passed beneath him and Benfica briefly had a lifeline.
Another goal for the Portuguese would have knocked Liverpool out, of course, and hearts were most certainly in mouths when another Cardoza free-kick six minutes after the goal struck the top of the wall and looped just inches wide.
The resulting corner was then headed just wide of the other upright by Ssidnei but that was largely the extent of the late drama as Mascherano released Torres with eight minutes left and the Spaniard converted the fourth goal.
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shock and stunned when the linesman rule dirk's goal offline.
totally rubbish! how to be offside from a corner?!
lucky it was given.. not a bad ref afterall.
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whatever fuck happened , we are in the Semi Final .
One of the 2 English clubx left in European Competition .
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Next Liverpool match against A.Madrid .
Saliva dripping now .
Maxi & Torres to play against their former club .
Geesh ......
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Next Liverpool match against A.Madrid .
Saliva dripping now .
Maxi & Torres to play against their former club .
Geesh ......
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Eh, isn't fulham still in too?
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And maxi can't play wor~
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honestly speaking, i 1st time see a linesman saying offside from a cornerkick.. hahaha..
b4 e cornerkick taker kick the ball, its actually inline with the goal-line..
so if offside rules were to come in, b4 kicking the ball, its ardy considered offside??
if the linesman signalled for penalty, i can understand but why he signalled for offside?? haha..
tis lineman seriously needs to brush up his work..
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he could be a fake assistant ref. his credentials may be a fraud.
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if im not wrong, maxi wont be allowed to play against madrid.
he's still considered on loan with us.
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FUCK POOLMAN
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Originally posted by Medicated Oil:
Stevie and Torres will play their heart out but if Ah Ben is insistence for defensive tactics, that will spell doom for Liverpool.
Unless Ah Ben is replaced by Jose, Liverpool cannot clinched the coveted EPL title and remain competitive with petty Ah Ben around.
Oh god you're a joke.