MAY 3
Benitez lays claim to Mourinho title

By Lewis Wiltshire - BBC Sport Online

Jose Mourinho labelled himself "the special one", but with this victory Rafael Benitez has proved he can be considered the equal of any manager in European football.

Even the most hardened Liverpool supporter would not have dreamt this possible at the start of this season - the club's first European Cup final in 20 years.                                      "The special ones" - Rafa and Jose.

In steering them there Benitez has elevated his own reputation into the stratosphere.

Having led Valencia to two La Liga titles in three years and a Uefa Cup victory - he has taken a Liverpool side few expected to get past Juventus or Chelsea to Europe's biggest club stage.

The unassuming and softly-spoken Spaniard is almost the complete opposite of Chelsea's Mourinho, who has stolen the headlines all season with his arrogant predictions.

But by outwitting his rival Benitez has shown his quiet effectiveness and placed Steven Gerrard on the horns of a dilemma.

Liverpool's captain, who publicly doubted his team's chances of winning this competition earlier in the season, was widely expected to quit Anfield for Stamford Bridge in the summer.

Now the Reds, his boyhood club, have proved they can match and better their monied London rivals on the biggest platform, so why switch?

And if Gerrard faces a tricky decision, who would be Brian Barwick?

The newly-installed chief executive of the Football Association hails from the red side of Merseyside, but will now have to make a decision that places his head in direct opposition to his heart.

Liverpool are 90 minutes away from winning the Champions League.

Forget for a second that they will probably face AC Milan. Nobody said they could beat Juventus; no-one thought they could see off Chelsea.

If they do win it and finish outside the top four in the Premiership, the Football Association will - barring any late intervention from Uefa - have to decide whether to put Liverpool in the Champions League or not.

If they are entered, the team finishing fourth will be condemned to the Uefa Cup, heartbroken at fulfilling the European criteria only to have the goalposts so dramatically moved.

The fact that team is likely to be Everton, the great Merseyside rivals denied their European Cup place 20 years ago by the Heysel riots, adds a twist of which Merseyside soap opera Brookside could not have dreamt.

If the FA decide Everton have earned their Champions League place, then Liverpool will not even get the chance to defend a trophy which they would have claimed in storybook fashion.

All of that is some way off, but the FA have to make a call, and that particular buck rests only with Barwick.

But more than anything, this is about Liverpool being restored to their mantle as one of Europe's greatest club sides.

Not for two decades has Anfield witnessed a glory night like this, and few outside Goodison Park would begrudge them their moment.

Benitez has inherited an under-performing set of players, added some Iberian flair and harnessed it all with Gerrard, the throbbing heartbeat of Liverpool Football Club.

It would be premature to compare the current Liverpool side with the all-conquering sides of the 1970s and 80s.

But in Benitez they appear to have a manager capable of repeating the feats of Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Kenny Dalglish.

He has wiped the memory of those lean years under Graeme Souness, Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier.

Unless PSV shock AC Milan, as Liverpool did to Chelsea, it will be the Rossoneri who face the Reds in the final - two great old clubs of the west doing battle in Istanbul, the heart of the mysterious east.

There are no teams with richer European pedigree than these two - as Milan's six trophies go up against Liverpool's four.

Benitez has the luxury of sitting back with a glass of Spanish Rioja to watch Wednesday's semi-final knowing he awaits the winner.

This son of Madrid has earned himself a special place in Liverpudlians' hearts and given Gerrard, Barwick and, not least, Milan, plenty to think about.

MAY 3
Liverpool defy odds for Euro return

By Frank Malley - PA Chief Sports Writer

Against all the odds and in spite of most popular opinion Liverpool are there.

They will contest their first European Cup final for 20 years later this month in Istanbul after a rearguard action of epic proportions against Premiership champions Chelsea.

True, their 1-0 victory came courtesy of a controversial goal from Luis Garcia.

They needed a dollop of luck. They needed a jaded display from Chelsea and it was not always pretty.


  Garcia and Riise celebrate the goal.
  (Photo: Scanpix/AFP)

But they also gave a performance of collective will and determination which will go down as one of the greatest in Liverpool's rich history.

As dogged as anything under the revolutionary era of Bill Shankly, as full of conviction as in the time of Bob Paisley.

As welcome as anything in the history of a club which has won the Champions Cup on four occasions.

No, it was not swaggering. But football is made up of many virtues, not all of which are pleasing on the eye.

And if Jose Mourinho's verdict was that "The best team lost" then we have come to expect that sort of reaction from a team which has been adept at winning football matches this season but few friends.

The fact is Liverpool deserve their place back in the sun and English football should be proud.

Too often football is filled with hopelessly unrealistic expectations, but for once here was a match which warranted everything the hype merchants could throw at it.

If the first leg was compelling without ever being thrilling then the second leg was just the opposite. Full of tension, brimming with excitement, at times pulsating. Wonderful tempo. Gripping stuff.

Hardly surprising when you consider it was arguably the biggest match ever played between two British sides.

It did make you wonder quite how fifth-placed Liverpool could trail Chelsea by 33 points in the Premiership and how they had lost three times to them already this season.

There was not a cigarette paper between them on this occasion, although it has to be said Liverpool had heroes in red shirts all over the Anfield pitch.

None more so than Jamie Carragher and Steve Finnan in a defence which snuffed out wave after wave of Chelsea attacks.

Dietmar Hamann, in for the suspended Xabi Alonso, was also quite brilliant. The German patrolled just in front of the back four, making countless crucial interceptions and giving Liverpool a solid, reliable foundation.

But then there was also Steven Gerrard, a man with Liverpool in his blood and whose lifelong ambition has been to return the glory days to Anfield.

Gerrard covered every blade of grass, contested his midfield battle with Frank Lampard with a vigour and a style which bodes so well for England at the World Cup next summer.

In truth, Lampard was subdued compared with the character who has been ever-present in his inspiration for Chelsea this season.

And then, of course, there was the Anfield factor. There is no doubt the wave of emotion washing down from the Kop was inspirational.

In many ways it was was a throwback to the Seventies and Eighties when European nights like this were the norm. But fans do not make tackles. Supporters do not score goals. That is down to talented players with composure and technique.

And the truth is Chelsea were denied by a Liverpool side with utter conviction in their capacity to reach the European summit.

It could not have begun more dramatically, the Liverpool goal after four minutes the product of a frantic, passionate opening.

Would Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech have been sent off for bringing down Milan Baros if the loose ball had not been hooked marginally over the line by Luis Garcia?

Was the ball completely over the line? Both questions were debatable and try as television might with its multitude of different angles there was no conclusive frame.

The only person apparently in no doubt was the Slovakian linesman, although if he had not pointed to the centre circle there is every chance the referee would have pointed to the spot for a penalty.

The one thing over which there was no debate was Liverpool's resolve to match the technique of Chelsea with huge industry of their own.

And if the second half turned into Anfield's answer to Custer's last stand then Liverpool could hardly be blamed for that.

MAY 3
Carra: Now let's win the Final

By Paul Eaton - LFC Official Website

Jamie Carragher says Liverpool must now go on and win the Champions League following their semi-final victory over Chelsea.

Carragher was again an immense figure in the Liverpool backline as the Reds held onto Luis Garcia's early strike to secure their first appearance in a European Cup final for twenty years.

Carragher enjoyed the post-match celebrations, but he says the players must now focus on the job of winning the competition.

"This club has been built on those type of nights and they have been taken away from us in the last few years but we were desperate to get back to those nights," he said.

"It hasn't really sunk in yet. There were great scenes at the end but at the end of the day it is only a semi-final. This is not finished, there is still a cup to be won."

Carragher was unconcerned over whether Garcia's shot had crossed the line or not, especially as the Reds have been on the wrong end of bad luck against Chelsea enough times this season.

"I think we were due a bit of luck against Chelsea. Whether it was in or our not, it was our turn," he added.

MAY 3
Rafa defends Garcia winner

By Tom Adams - Sky Sports

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez defended Luis Garcia's controversial winner as his side beat Chelsea 1-0 to reach the UEFA Champions League final.

The Spanish star poked in after Petr Cech felled Milan Baros and even though William Gallas hooked away the ball was deemed to have crossed the line.

Whilst Benitez denied that he had seen the incident again, he reinforced his belief that, irrespective of whether the ball crossed the line, Cech's challenge merited a penalty and a sending off for the Blues custodian.

"I have not seen, I have seen that it was a penalty and a red card but it was the goal," said Benitez.

Benitez revealed that his side set out with the intention of claiming a strike, and praised his defence for the fantastic rearguard effort that kept out Jose Mourinho's side for the duration of the tie.

"It was difficult, we tried to start with a high tempo, we scored a goal, we controlled the game, we tried to control the game it was difficult," Benitez continued.

"The second half we had more options with Harry Kewell keeping the ball and [Djibril] Cisse running, and then at the end we defend properly and we play I think a good game in defence."

Jamie Carragher in particular was impressive as The Reds yet again proved their ability to defend resolutely in Europe, and the Spanish tactician praised his backline in the face of a Chelsea attack that included makeshift front-man Robert Huth in the closing stages.

"It was the idea [to close out the game at the end of the match] but they play with two tall strikers and strong strikers and two wingers and a lot of midfielders and they play long balls all the time but we played well in defence," added Benitez.

"The central defenders played very well and after we tried to play these good counter-attacks and again we win time and almost score another goal.

"The question today is to enjoy the situation, and after to see the next game comfortable and think about the final but we need to enjoy today."

MAY 3
Mourinho rues Blues exit

TEAMtalk

Jose Mourinho hopes Liverpool go on to win the Champions League final but feels his Chelsea side should be there instead.

Mourinho's Premiership champions saw their treble dream die at Anfield as Luis Garcia's debatable early goal settled the match in the Reds' favour, despite Chelsea enjoying the lion's share of possession.

"The best team lost and we are very sad we did but at the same time, we must understand what football is," he told ITV1.

The Portuguese manager referred to Chelsea's victory over Liverpool in the Carling Cup final, when the Reds scored in the first minute but then spent the rest of the match defending and lost in extra-time.

"This game was a copy of the game in Cardiff where one team scored a goal in the beginning of the game," he added.

"In Cardiff it was a wonderful goal (by John Arne Riise). In this, no-one knows if it's a goal - not even the linesman.

"Tactics is with Rafa. He is responsible for them and they are happy they reached the final.

"I don't want to criticise them but they played the way they wanted, they fought a lot. I have to give them credit for that.

"We are disappointed but at the same time I'm very proud of my players

"And from my heart I hope Liverpool win [the Champions League]."

MAY 3
Benitez wins tactical war

BreakingNews.ie

No wonder they sing his name to the tune of ‘La Bamba’, no wonder Spanish flags vie with red and white banners for space on the Kop, for Rafael Benitez has proved himself a tactical mastermind in European football once more.

Jose Mourinho may have thought that title was his for keeps but he will have to settle for domestic kudos this season because at Anfield tonight he was outwitted and outsmarted.

This was a thrilling battle of wits and nerve and an intriguing contest of tactical nous, but by no means a classic in terms of attacking football.

And it may have been an all-English semi-final but it had a Portuguese-Spanish sub-plot – forget the Battle of Britain, this was the War of the Peninsular, and it was trench warfare to boot.

Chelsea’s first task was to try to silence the awesome Anfield crowd, whose support was deafening even before kick-off, creating the sort of hair-on-the-neck-raising atmosphere that only occurs at the really intense sporting occasions.

If that was the aim, however, it failed miserably. Chelsea’s initial approach was to retreat into their own territory and not try and pressurise Liverpool in their own half, an idea that may have been sound in principle – stifling Liverpool by pressure of numbers and then striking on the break – but Mourinho must have wondered if he had got in right in practise when the home side went ahead inside four minutes.

Quick passing was the key to the goal. John Arne Riise slipped the ball inside to Steven Gerrard in some space in the middle and Koppites must have groaned when he elected to flick the ball on first time rather than turn and try a long-range strike.

Those groans turned to yells and then cheers as Milan Baros’ pace saw him reach the bouncing ball first and lift it over Petr Cech before he was clattered, Luis Garcia following up to poke the ball over the line with William Gallas arriving a second too late to clear.

Whether it was the atmosphere or a post-Premiership celebration hangover but Chelsea, the best defence in the land, looked distinctly nervy, with Claude Makelele often finding himself trying to mark two players in that key area in front of the back four.

Dietmar Hamann had a long-range drive blocked from just such an area, but for all Liverpool’s early fire Chelsea knew their opponents’ lead was fragile.

Perhaps the early goal tempted Liverpool to try to keep things safe, perhaps it was merely that Chelsea began to get a grip of the game, but slowly Mourinho’s side thrust the red phalanx back and began to dominate possession.

The visitors also had the option of being able to launch direct attacks through Didier Drogba and just such a move nearly paid dividends when the Ivory Coast striker burst into the Liverpool penalty area but Jamie Carragher, not for the first time this season, timed his tackled perfectly.

Luis Garcia then committed the cardinal sin of trying to beat his man on the edge of his own box – and one player you don’t want to lose the ball to in that area is Frank Lampard.

Fortunately for the little Spaniard, Carragher did enough to thwart Lampard and Jerzy Dudek the same when the ball span off to Joe Cole.

Generally, however, Benitez’s tactics were working. When Chelsea were in possession, Liverpool were even more defensive than Mourinho’s side with two lines of four no further than 40 yards from their own goal, and then swarming like angry red bees every time a blue interloper invaded their territory.

The longer the game went on, the more the feeling grew that Chelsea lacked width, and that without Damien Duff and Arjen Robben are a good, well-organised side rather than a great one, and eminently beatable too.

There may have been 33 points difference between the teams in the Premiership but this was the Champions League, in which competition perhaps the key statistic was that Liverpool had only shipped half the number of goals as their rivals.

Gallas again could not handle the elusive Luis Garcia, who skidded a pass across the penalty box only to see Riise slice his shot.

Lampard chafed against the limits imposed by the defensive midfield duo of Hamann, doing everything to make up for the suspended Xabi Alonso, and Igor Biscan.

Given the chance of a long-range free-kick after 65 minutes to take he did everything right only for Dudek to pull out a top-class save – his first meaningful one of both legs – to turn it aside.

Robben’s arrival from the bench did spark new life into Chelsea. The Dutchman had hearts in mouths when he wrong-footed Steve Finnan and shaped to shoot, but the ever-dependable Carragher – who else – was there with a sliding block.

Djibril Cisse’s header could have wrapped it up but he met it tamely, and Robben was left cursing after his astute ball was missed by Mateja Kezman.

Liverpool, though held their shape, and looked stronger as the six minutes of injury time ticked by and Chelsea’s patience gave way to panic.

The cheer at the end nearly lifted the roof off the Kop; Liverpool were in their first European Cup final since Heysel in 1985.

Benitez appears, at least in his first season in England, more suited to mastering tactics in European football than the domestic game.

On that basis and on this display, Liverpool have every chance of taking that final step to securing European Cup glory once more.