The Times

Benítez gamble nearly pays off after Liverpool come up shy in eight-goal feast

Chelsea 4 Liverpool 4 (Chelsea win 7-5 on agg)

Patrick Barclay, Chief Football Commentator

Blunders by goalkeepers with reputations that rank them among Europe’s
finest conspired to heighten the drama at Stamford Bridge. First a
crashing error of positioning by Petr Cech lifted Liverpool. Then José
Manuel Reina’s fateful fumble of a Didier Drogba flick invited Chelsea
to seize the tie and this they did — the ultimate irony —
substantially through the efforts of a man who would not even have
been playing but for John Terry’s suspension.

That he, Alex, stepped out of defence to score his team’s crucial
second goal with an irresistible free kick was characteristic of a
great occasion. Liverpool did much to make it and to prolong the
excitement until two minutes from the end, when Frank Lampard’s second
goal let everyone pause and start to savour an event so intoxicating
it numbed the mind.

It is, though, Chelsea who stride on to their fifth Champions League
semi-final in six years. Deservedly. Whatever Liverpool, craftily
arranged by Rafael Benítez to cater for the absence of Steven Gerrard,
threw at them — and at times we wondered if this was almost literally
to become a kitchen-sink drama — they hurled back.

It was — to use a Brazilian’s phrase — football for adults. With
Brazilians to the fore: not just Alex but Fábio Aurélio, the Liverpool
left back, who got the party going with a cute free kick. Even Lucas
Leiva scored, with a deflected shot towards the end as once again the
flames were fanned and a header from Dirk Kuyt kept the outcome in
doubt almost to the final whistle. Now, on Tuesday week, Chelsea will
visit Barcelona, old foes from the José Mourinho era who are to pit
their mouthwatering technique against Chelsea’s awesome power. But for
much of last night it looked possible that the Catalan club would be
facing Liverpool instead.

Liverpool were level on aggregate through Aurélio’s enterprise and a
Xabi Alonso penalty but still needed another goal to progress when
Nicolas Anelka, the substitute with whom Guus Hiddink had replaced the
bewildering Salomon Kalou, crossed and Drogba’s skilful glance induced
Reina to divert the ball over the line.

When Alex, taking advantage of Jamie Carragher’s foul on Drogba, sent
the ball raging past Reina in the 57th minute to level the scores, it
seemed over. Until we remembered that Liverpool were involved. We
should have known better than to write off Benítez’s men in the mood
they had fashioned from the wreckage of the defeat away to
Middlesbrough in February. In the five matches that followed, all won,
Liverpool scored 16 goals, conceding one. And to lead 2-0 last night
was an achievement in itself, a throwback to Istanbul, if
insufficient.

Benítez should not be second-guessed over Gerrard. On the face of it,
the pre-match issue had been devilishly tricky for him. Should he take
a gamble on Gerrard or save the captain for the more realistic
aspiration that is represented by the English title?

If Benítez erred on the side of patience, he was right. Liverpool have
six Barclays Premier League matches left, but there is plenty of
danger in Manchester United’s seven; the champions play three matches
in seven days next month and Liverpool will want to have all their
attacking options — including Gerrard, who also missed Saturday’s 4-0
win over Blackburn Rovers at Anfield because of a groin injury — ready
to exploit any slip.

The surprising aspect was that Benítez replaced Gerrard with Lucas.
From what we have seen of the young Brazilian, he is nothing if not a
holding player, an obstacle to opponents’ attacks rather than a
creative force behind his own team’s. Yet here he was roaming behind
Fernando Torres.

Maybe the intention was to keep Michael Essien occupied so Yossi
Benayoun, given Albert Riera’s starting position on the left, could
drift inside and fashion opportunities — such as the one he made for
Torres in the thirteenth minute. The Spain striker was confident
enough to shoot with his left foot, but sliced the ball into the
Matthew Harding Stand (lower tier, to be fair). How the Chelsea fans
chortled.

But soon the smile left their faces. Lampard’s push on Kuyt gave
Liverpool a free kick wide on their right, about 40 yards from a goal
Cech left all but vacant. As the goalkeeper prepared to deal with a
swirler to the far post — a reasonable assumption, recklessly applied
— Aurélio whipped the ball inside the near. Now that was Brazilian.
And Chelsea started to panic.

Branislav Ivanovic, the two-goal hero of Anfield, wrestled Alonso in
the penalty area as a more orthodox free kick from Aurélio floated in
and, although there were no discernible appeals, Luis Medina
Cantalejo, the Spanish referee, awarded a penalty that Alonso smacked
home.

From Alonso’s cross, Kuyt had a header unconvincingly slapped away by
Cech, who then missed Aurélio’s cross with impunity. Chelsea were
lucky to go in for the interval in a winning position on aggregate.

Meanwhile, their fans pondered the wisdom of chants. “Stuff your
history,” they had sneered at the visitors (or words to that effect).
“We’re going to Rome.” Getting as far as Barcelona seemed a tall order
until Anelka sent the ball to the near post for the increasingly
influential Drogba.

Next was Alex. All Lampard did, in giving Chelsea the lead from
Drogba’s cross in the 76th minute, was to make Liverpool shed all
inhibition and somehow retrieve the lead, which Lampard promptly
denied them. From afar, their fans watched Chelsea’s celebrations.
They had witnessed a failure so glorious only Hillsborough could drive
it from their minds.

Chelsea (4-1-2-2-1): P Cech — B Ivanovic, Alex, R Carvalho, A Cole — M
Essien — M Ballack, F Lampard — S Kalou (sub: N Anelka, 36min), F
Malouda — D Drogba (sub: F Di Santo, 90). Substitutes not used:
Hilário, J O Mikel, J Belletti, Deco, M Mancienne. Booked: Ivanovic,
Carvalho, Cole.

Liverpool (4-3-2-1): J M Reina — Á Arbeloa (sub: R Babel, 85), J
Carragher, M Skrtel, F Aurélio — Lucas Leiva, J Mascherano (sub: A
Riera, 69), X Alonso — D Kuyt, Y Benayoun — F Torres (sub: D Ngog,
80). Substitutes not used: D Cavalieri, A Dossena, S Hyypia, D Agger.
Booked: Benayoun, Arbeloa.

Referee: L Medina Cantalejo (Spain).



----------------------------------------------------


Telegraph:

Chelsea survive early Liverpool scare to blast route into Champions
League semi-finals

Whatever Michel Platini may think of too many English teams spoiling
his Continental bouillabaisse, the Uefa president surely cannot now
doubt the high-octane excitement the Premier League ambassadors bring
to his beloved Champions League.

By Henry Winter at Stamford Bridge

This was epic stuff, one of the most memorable, fluctuating games in
the history of the European Cup.

Only when Frank Lampard struck his second, making it 4-4 with a minute
remaining could Chelsea fans finally relax. Liverpool had been that
determined, that dangerous in front of goal. Once again Chelsea were
grateful to the exceptional Lampard and to their canny manager, Guus
Hiddink, who guided his players through a real Merseyside storm with
his tactical tweaks, notably the introduction of Nicolas Anelka, and
some rousing half-time rhetoric with Liverpool leading 2-0.

Chelsea captain John Terry upset with booking against LiverpoolIn
keeping with an insane night, the Bridge DJ span some Madness at the
final whistle. Chelsea had gone one step beyond, one step closer to
the final in Rome but they must first negotiate Barcelona in the
semis. Ashley Cole will be suspended for the Camp Nou leg, an absence
Lionel Messi could exploit.

Lacking Steven Gerrard, trailing 3-1 from the first leg, Benitez’s
players had initially responded superbly, taking the game to Chelsea
in a thrilling first half, scoring through Aurelio and Alonso before
Hiddink steadied their nerves and Drogba, Alex and Lampard turned a
magnificent game on its head again. But then came Lucas and Kuyt,
leaving Liverpool to need one goal, setting up a frantic finale.

By half-time the "alarm bells’’ Hiddink had talked about should have
rung loudly in his players’ ears when Fernando Torres threatened
early. Strangely, Chelsea were subdued for a half, allowing Liverpool
to dictate the rhythm. Chelsea fans sought to the raise the tempo and
the temperature, willing the team and vilifying Liverpool’s support,
who responded in spiky kind.

The belief clearly flowing from the visitor’s section found an echo in
the hearts of the Liverpool players, who tore into a Chelsea defender
patently missing John Terry. One banner in the stands read: "JT,
Captain, Leader, Legend’’ to which could be added "Spectator’’ last
night. Chelsea’s most vocal force, their Trojan defender, was
suspended and how they struggled without him in an astonishing first
period.

Defensive lapses cost Chelsea dear. It seemed as if the Spanish
referee, Luis Medina Cantalejo, was in town on missionary work,
cleaning up all the nudges and shirt-pulling so often endemic in
English football. When Ricardo Carvalho pulled Dirk Kuyt’s shirt after
19 minutes, Aurelio lined up the free-kick.

Petr Cech seemed to anticipate a lifted ball to the far-post. So he
organised the construction of the wall to that side yet it soon
transpired that the Czech keeper would make a lousy surveyor. It was
too far to the right, giving Aurelio a sight of goal. Cech forgot
another thing. Aurelio is Brazilian. With Chelsea’s keeper too far
towards the too far-post, Aurelio could not resist the temptation,
swerving the ball into the untended near-post. The legend of Cech’s
infallibility took another knock.

Mistakes littered Chelsea’s first-half performance. Nine minutes
later, Aurelio swept in a free-kick and Cantalejo again reprised his
impersonation of Robert de Niro in "Taxi Driver’’, cleaning up the
mean streets of the inner city.

As a blur of red and blue shirts threw themselves at Aurelio’s ball,
Branislav Ivanovic hauled down Alonso. Cantalejo pointed to the spot,
despite no Liverpool player appealing, despite Martin Skrtel tugging
at Ivanovic’s shirt.

As Chelsea went into meltdown, Alonso kept calm, placing the ball on
the spot, and then emphatically drilling to Cech’s right. The noise
pouring out of the Liverpool corner of the ground nearly rocked
Stamford Bridge on its foundations. One banner waved vigorously by the
away fans said it all - "Defiance’’.

Liverpool were running on adrenalin, on the emotion of recent days,
building up to today’s Hillsborough memorial service at Anfield.
Liverpool played with the head as well as the head. Alonso was
outstanding, breaking up play, spraying passes and converting that
spot-kick.

Mascherano was having a storming game, charging between the boxes,
taking the sight of the ball at Chelsea feet as a personal insult.
Such was his hunger for possession that the Argentinian even tackled
Ashley Cole when the pair were off the pitch, both having overrun the
ball.

Here was a test of Chelsea’s character and, at last, they began to
stir. They are made of strong stuff under Hiddink. The Bridge screamed
for Cantalejo to continue his angry head master routine and penalise
Carragher for wrestling down Ivanovic in the box. Hiddink was livid at
the Spaniard’s refusal, railing at the officials and clearly
unimpressed with certain players who simply froze. When Salomon Kalou
ducked out of one challenge too many, the ever-decisive Hiddink
replaced him with Nicolas Anelka. It was to prove an inspired move.

Still Liverpool pressured, Kuyt bringing a good save from Cech.
Hiddink had to work some magic, to inspire his players. He sent them
out early for the second half, setting the tone of a team eager for a
new start. Now it was Chelsea making all the moves, making it 2-2 on
the night within 12 minutes.

Now it was Liverpool making stupid mistakes. When Frank Lampard sent
Anelka down the right, the Frenchman’s cross was low and hard and met
athletically by Drogba. He seemed merely to have helped the ball
across but Reina, in a moment that will haunt his sleep, fumbled the
ball into his goal. How the Bridge crowed, their chants of "are you
Riise in disguise?’’ providing a painful reminder of the Norwegian
full-back’s damaging own goal last year.

The Blues were now in the mood, confidence now apparent in their every
touch. When Carragher fouled Florent Malouda 30 yards out, Alex
responded magnificently, driving an unstoppable free-kick through a
crowd of players and past a startled Reina.

Liverpool required a miracle, snookers, a great escape plotted by
Gerrard but he was absent. Their dream ended when Drogba crossed from
the left with 14 minutes remaining and Lampard applied the coup de
grace.

Benitez’s passion-players refused to surrender. Drawing on the very
greatest traditions of the club, Liverpool responded, riddling the
Chelsea fans with nerves. First came Lucas, his shot deflecting in off
Michael Essien. Then Albert Riera crossed for Kuyt’s header to beat
Cech: one goal would send Liverpool through.

Instead it was Chelsea who struck, Lampard grabbing his second, making
it 4-4 on the night and leaving Liverpool requiring two goals. Mission
impossible. What a game. Platini take note.




----------------------------------------------------------


Mail:

Chelsea 4 Liverpool 4: Lampard seals night of thrills as Liverpool
take tie to wire
(Chelsea win 7-5 on aggregate)
By Matt Lawton Chief Football Correspondent

This was a Champions League tie played not by modern millionaire
footballers but by maniacs with what appeared to be a mutual desire to
push the self-destruct button.
A tie as memorable for the madness as the moments of pure brilliance
was settled by a quite superb Frank Lampard goal but almost won by a
Liverpool side who dared to ignore their manager’s decision to throw
in the towel.
Rafa Benitez called time on this epic contest when he replaced the
finest striker in the world with David Ngog. Only 10 minutes remained
and, with Liverpool still needing three goals to reach the
semi-finals, the Spaniard thought it prudent to save Fernando Torres
for another day.
But two goals, the first a deflected strike from Lucas and then a
thumping header from Dirk Kuyt, in two astonishing minutes suddenly
left Benitez looking foolish and his team within touching distance of
a comeback more extraordinary than Istanbul.

That Chelsea fought back again said much for their spirit as well as
the quality of Lampard, who struck his second of the night finally to
stop this remarkable Liverpool side.

But after so nearly blowing a four-goal lead against Bolton last
weekend, even Roman Abramovich will be requesting that they sacrifice
some of the entertainment for a rather more efficient display. A bit
more of the spirit of Jose Mourinho, dare it be said, before they meet
a Barcelona team who will watch repeats of this with a sense of
amazement as well as excitement.
These two clubs might be owned by Russians and Americans but last
night Dr Strangelove appeared to be in charge. The lunatics had
finally taken charge of the asylum, with no leadership on the field
and what appeared to be little guidance coming from the bench,
probably because Benitez and Guus Hiddink were too busy bickering with
each other.

Amid the chaos, mistakes were made and eight goals were scored. The
kind of chaos that proved torturous for the spectators and almost
unwatchable for the suspended John Terry and the injured Steven
Gerrard. The kind of chaos that, at times, actually had you wondering
exactly what the score was.
If ever a game demonstrated the importance of two hugely influential
captains, this was it. Chelsea collapsed in the absence of Terry,
while Liverpool lacked the composure to build on the two-goal lead
they so sensationally secured in the first half.
At times it was not so much a battle of wits as a battle of half-wits,
a game when tactical planning was discarded for naked, irrational,
ambition.
The goalkeeping errors that first handed the momentum to Liverpool but
then back to Chelsea were almost forgotten by the final whistle.
But it was Petr Cech’s initial blunder that set the tone for this
incredible match and unsettled a back four already nervous without
Terry at their side. Once considered
alongside Gianluigi Buffon as the finest goalkeeper in the world, it
was a calamitous display from the Czech No 1, from the manner in which
he allowed Fabio Aurelio to score the first goal to the general sense
of panic that spread through the Chelsea defence because of his
apparent uncertainty.

It would be unfair to blame Cech for the penalty that followed when
Branislav Ivanovic fouled Xabi Alonso, but his own problems with
decision-making probably clouded the judgment of his colleagues.
Aurelio made a fool out of Cech after 18 minutes, spotting the fact
that he was still busy organising a poorly-positioned wall and beating
him with a free-kick that took one bounce before squeezing inside the
left-hand post. Cech, his confidence already damaged by Saturday’s
reckless display against Bolton, got nowhere near it.
He got nowhere near the penalty that followed 10 minutes later either,
one which stunned Stamford Bridge and suddenly made the impossible
look possible.

It was another Aurelio free-kick that caused the problem and Ivanovic,
who emerged with so much credit at Anfield, who committed the offence.
Referee Luis Medina Cantalejo did not hesitate in pointing to the spot
when he saw Ivanovic wrestle Alonso to the ground and the Spanish
midfielder dished out the appropriate punishment with an unstoppable
strike.
They could sense the anxiety in Chelsea’s ranks and they could smell
the fear, from Hiddink’s bench to a back four choosing to defend
deeper and deeper.
But that all changed when Pepe Reina made a mistake every bit as
ridiculous as Cech’s six minutes into a second half that Liverpool
again seemed to be dominating.
Even if Didier Drogba got the slightest of touches to a cross from
Nicolas Anelka, who had been sent on after 35 minutes as a replacement
for Salomon Kalou, the ball was going wide until Reina contrived to
turn it into his own net.

It proved to be yet another turning point, Alex levelling the scores
on the night six minutes later with a thunderbolt of a free-kick
before Lampard completed a super move started by Michael Ballack and
continued by Drogba with the first of two excellent first-time strikes
14 minutes from the end. Game over?

Benitez certainly seemed to think so, removing Torres from the battle
with next week’s Barclays Premier League meeting with Arsenal in mind.
In the minds of Liverpool’s players, however, there was still time
enough to turn this around again. First came from the shot from Lucas
that flew past Cech via Michael Essien’s knee, then the cross from
Albert Riera that was met by a terrific header from Kuyt.
Who would score next was anybody’s guess. That it was Lampard, who
made the best of a fine ball from Anelka with a wonderful strike that
flew in off Reina’s right-hand post, was probably fair enough after
the manner of Chelsea’s victory at Anfield last week.
They lost Ashley Cole for the first leg of the semis thanks to a
yellow card, but last night the relief of simply getting there would
have made up for any such loss.


* Barcelona moved into the semi-finals on Tuesday, where they will
meet Chelsea in an eagerly awaited showdown.
Leading 4-0 in their quarter-final tie with Bayern Munich after a
crushing victory in the Nou Camp last week, they drew 1-1 in the
second leg to seal a 5-1 aggregate victory.
Franck Ribery gave Bayern the lead in the 47th minute, but the Spanish
giants hit back in the 73rd minute through Seydou Keita.
The forthcoming semi-final throws together a rematch of knockout
matches in 2000, 2005 and 2006, with Barcelona winning twice and
Chelsea once.



--------------------------------------------------


Independent:

Lampard adds final twist to quell Reds' resistance

Chelsea 4 Liverpool 4 (Chelsea win 7-5 on aggregate)

Sam Wallace, Football Correspondent

If this match represents the tired, predictable English domination of
the Champions League, then let's have it every week. Let's have eight
goals, four comebacks and a match that could justifiably be called one
of the greatest ever. Let's have entertainment and every assumption
you ever made about the destiny of a football match challenged in one
evening.

Defenders scored free-kicks, two great goalkeepers lost their heads
and no one could quite remember a game played with such reckless
abandon. Even Rafael Benitez lost his cool, raging against the Spanish
fourth official, raging against a game he could scarcely comprehend.
He substituted Fernando Torres and then Liverpool scored two goals to
get right back in it. Even Benitez, the master strategist, had thought
the game was lost. No shame in that: we all did.

Steven Gerrard? He was not even playing. The Anfield
miracle-worker-in-chief was absent as his team rolled Chelsea back in
the first half, with two goals and an utterly dominant performance
that went some way to healing the pain of the 3-1 defeat in the first
leg of this Champions' League quarter-final. But there was more than
just a recovery of pride: with two goals Liverpool were back in this
tie and Chelsea's defence was as chaotic as Benitez's had been one
week earlier. Would it have been any different with Gerrard?

But there was no time to think about those not playing, so absorbing,
so rapidly changing were the events on the pitch. Petr Cech's first
half was a disaster, the second barely any better, and you had to
wonder what the hell would happen if Chelsea play the same way against
Barcelona in the semi-final. Liverpool attacked with none of the
inhibition that has blighted them in the past and in the second half
Chelsea did exactly the same.

What will be remembered from this night was the sheer courage of both
teams to take the game by the throat, however unpromising the
circumstances. After Fabio Aurelio and Xabi Alonso's goals – and a
half-time bollocking from the most laid-back Dutchman this side of the
North Sea – Chelsea responded with their very best. However unlovable
this team might have been at times during the Roman Abramovich years,
their spirit has never been in question.

Didier Drogba, Alex Da Costa and Frank Lampard brought the score to
3-2 on the night and that, surely, was that. Benitez, ever the
pragmatist, thought so and summoned Torres to the bench with the
intention of keeping him fresh for Tuesday's game against Arsenal. It
was basically a surrender and you could understand why. Then within
three minutes Lucas Leiva and Dirk Kuyt scored the goals that made the
game 4-3 to Liverpool and suddenly Torres was exactly the man
Liverpool needed on the pitch.

There are not many games which require you to glance up at the
scoreboard to double-check the score, not many when every attack
matters so much. Even when Lampard equalised with his second goal to
make it 4-4 no one was certain it was over: David Ngog had a shot
cleared off the line by Michael Essien. This was reckless,
breathtaking stuff that disturbed even the inner calm of Benitez and
Hiddink. At times both these two modern giants of management got it
wrong tactically.

It will be no consolation to Liverpool, and it may not matter to
Chelsea, but the post-match conduct of their two managers befitted a
fabulous evening. There was enough in this game to spark a thousand
arguments, enough for a lifetime of grudges, but Hiddink and Benitez,
in particular, chose to let a wonderful game speak for itself. This
was the kind of night which must make a manager question his own
effectiveness. No matter, they both kept their dignity.

Perhaps it was the release of emotion after the game, perhaps it was
the glass of wine that Hiddink had promised himself, but he virtually
admitted that Cech was in a crisis of confidence that had begun with
the three goals he had conceded against Bolton on Saturday. It is
unlikely that the goalkeeper will be dropped for Saturday's FA Cup
semi-final against Arsenal, but after his five seasons as a fixture in
this team nothing is certain any longer.

A needless shove by Ricardo Carvalho on Torres gave Liverpool the
free-kick from which they scored on 19 minutes. Only Fabio Aurelio, on
the right wing, noticed that Cech had shuffled far enough to the far
side of his goal to expose an area of the net worth shooting at. As
soon as the Brazilian hit it, everyone in the ground knew it was in.
Cech tried to recover but Aurelio had placed it beautifully, just
inside the post and the goalkeeper was never even close.

It was not just the goal that lifted Liverpool, it was the sheer
inventiveness of it. Alonso was running the match, Lampard was
stranded too far forward and Liverpool looked fitter and stronger in
every area. Branislav Ivanovic misjudged disastrously for the second
goal, grappling Alonso so blatantly that the Spanish referee had no
choice but to award a penalty. Alonso scored, Chelsea were collapsing.

With John Terry in the dugout and reduced to haranguing the fourth
official, Chelsea were in chaos and the score was 3-3 on aggregate.
The back four sat deeper and deeper, Cech came for a cross and missed.
Half-time was Chelsea's salvation. Two minutes into the new half, Cech
chased Lucas to the edge of the area and did not get the ball. He
looked a liability. Then Chelsea got a break.

Nicolas Anelka, brought on for Salomon Kalou in the first half,
crossed, Drogba seemed to get a touch and Pepe Reina pushed the ball
into his own net. Back came Chelsea. A piledriver of a free-kick from
Alex and a third goal from Lampard from Anelka's cross. The game was
relentless. Ashley Cole was booked and misses the semi-final first leg
against Barcelona. Torres came off and Liverpool came back.

Lucas's shot deflected in off Essien; Kuyt headed in a cross from the
substitute Albert Riera: 4-3 to Liverpool. Mayhem. One goal would do
it for Liverpool but it was Lampard who beat Reina brilliantly from
the edge of the area from Anelka's lay-off to make the score 4-4. Was
it over? It was not possible to take anything for granted until the
final whistle. This was a benchmark for English football, the kind of
night that – for all the nonsense in our game – deserves to be
treasured.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Alex, Carvalho, A Cole; Essien;
Kalou (Anelka, 36), Ballack, Lampard, Malouda; Drogba (Di Santo, 90).
Substitutes not used: Hilario (gk), Mikel, Deco, Belletti, Mancienne.

Liverpool (4-3-2-1): Reina; Arbeloa (Babel, 85), Carragher, Skrtel,
Aurelio; Lucas, Mascherano (Riera, 69), Alonso; Kuyt, Benayoun; Torres
(Ngog, 80). Substitutes not used: Cavalieri (gk), Dossena, Hyypia,
Agger.

Referee: L M Cantalejo (Spain).

Man for man marking by Steve Tongue

Chelsea

Petr Cech Caught out for opening goal and it seemed to affect him for
the rest of night 4/10

Branislav Ivanovic Unlikely hero of first leg quickly became a villain
with his penalty area wrestling 6

Alex Man who once knocked Arsenal out did for Liverpool with his
swerving free-kick 7

Ricardo Carvalho Back for suspended John Terry, he recovered, like his
team, from testing first half 6

Ashley Cole Given difficult night by Dirk Kuyt and misses the next
game after a yellow card 6

Michael Ballack More leadership might have been expected in Terry's
absence but he set up third goal well 6

Michael Essien No Steven Gerrard to subdue, but was unable to
influence game further forward 6

Frank Lampard Umpteenth episode of his long-running duel with Alonso
and his goals gave him edge 7

Salomon Kalou After better game at Anfield was anonymous and replaced
before half-time 3

Didier Drogba Fought harder than some despite taking early knock and
deserved his goal 8

Florent Malouda Another Chelsea player incapable of reprising his
performance from the first leg 6

Substitutes

Nicolas Anelka (for Kalou, 36) Great cross for goal 7; Di Santo (for
Drogba, 90) n/a


--------------------------------------------------


Guardian:

Lampard double sees off gallant Liverpool

Chelsea 4 Drogba 51, Alex 57, Lampard 76, Lampard 89
Liverpool 4 Aurelio 19, Alonso (pen) 28, Leiva 81, Kuyt 83

Kevin McCarra at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea maintained their hopes of landing the greatest prize of all,
but only after they risked searing ignominy. There were moments when
Liverpool, leading 2-0 and then 4-3, were a goal short of a triumph in
the second leg of this Champions League tie. Barcelona could well be
gleeful about their prospects against Chelsea in the semi-final, but
it is most unlikely that those matches will bear any resemblance to
this one. Few games ever have.

The victors missed their captain, the suspended John Terry, far more
than ­Liverpool did Steven Gerrard, who was ruled out by his groin
injury. Chelsea will now lack Ashley Cole, booked here, in Camp Nou.
His side was irresolute and plain baffled in defence, where the
goalkeeper Petr Cech lost all faith in himself. He can give thanks to
the uncontainable Didier Drogba, who was ready to atone for every
lapse.

Had it not been for the blazing drama, this might have been a comedy.
Here were two managers who are masters of their craft, yet their
schemes were swamped by all the blunders. Guus Hiddink and Rafael
Benítez may have wondered if it would have been as well to take the
night off.

The Dutchman, however, must now deliberate. Cech was so hapless that
the issue will have to be addressed. With Carlo Cudicini gone to
Tottenham, Hilario is the realistic alternative. It is an option
Hiddink cannot wish to take but Cech cut a distressed figure.

The urgency of that topic did not recede until the 89th minute, when
Frank Lampard took his second goal of the night impeccably from a low
ball by the substitute Nicolas Anelka.

By then, Liverpool were beyond reach of discouragement and still
compelled Michael Essien to clear from the goalline after one last
thrust. This bold display will be recalled almost as often as the
comeback from 3-0 down to beat Milan in the 2005 final.

They were irrepressible, whether establishing a 2-0 advantage or
rallying from 3-2 to go ahead in this fixture. Liverpool traumatised
Chelsea during that spell. A drive by Lucas deflected from Essien to
reach the net in the 81st minute and one minute later the visitors had
the lead here as Dirk Kuyt nodded in a delivery from the substitute
Albert Riera.

Chelsea had invited such a crisis. They initially acted as if they
felt they ought to have had the right to declare after posting a 3-1
score at Anfield. A muted team planted thoughts of rumbustious triumph
in the minds of Benítez's squad.

Chelsea were 2-0 down before a half-hour had elapsed. A position of
near hopelessness liberates people. It did Liverpool a power of good,
too, that Chelsea failed to put an obstacle in their path after 19
minutes. Facing a free-kick from 30 yards out on the visitors' right
wing, Cech was much too far towards the centre and exposed a wide gap
at his near post. Fabio Aurelio found it with his left-footed shot
from the set-piece.

Procedures went awry once more for Liverpool's next goal. Aurelio
again delivered a set-piece from the right. It was directed towards
Martin Skrtel, but the Spanish referee Luis Medina Cantalejo saw
Branislav Ivanovic, the scorer of two goals at Anfield, making his
impact here with a foul on midfielder Xabi Alonso. He correctly
awarded a penalty that was dispatched powerfully by Alonso after 28
minutes.

Chelsea were in a panic of powerlessness. Hiddink had to react,
adopting a positive stance by bringing on a recognised goalscorer in
Anelka for Salomon Kalou. That had scant impact at first. Liverpool
seemed ready to rewrite records that continue to show that no team has
come here and scored three times or more in a victory since Arsenal's
3-1 success in an FA Cup replay six years ago.

The impact of Benítez's men is of no use to them, but misgivings have
again been raised about Chelsea. The side let Bolton rally before
losing 4-3 in the Premier League last weekend. That was put down as an
aberration yet it is not so simple to brush aside any longer,
particularly since Terry was present then.

Cech continued to encourage Liverpool, charging from his box in
pursuit of a ball he could never reach. With the Czech stranded,
Aurelio's long cross from the left narrowly drifted out of play. The
relief for a disoriented goalkeeper came with the lapse by his
opposite number. Pepe Reina was not wholly to blame, but he was at
fault. Anelka crossed low from the right and although the touch by
Drogba added menace it was bewildering that the Spaniard should manage
only to push the ball into his own net.

The mistake devastated Liverpool and elevated Chelsea, who struck with
a brutally hit set-piece from a central position. After Florent
Malouda had been brought down by Alvaro Arbeloa, Drogba smashed the
free-kick high but wide past the left hand of Reina in the 55th
minute. But two minutes later, a further foul, by Jamie ­Carragher on
Drogba, allowed the Brazilian Alex to hit the back of the net with
great power.

Chelsea were level and 5-3 ahead on aggregate. It had become one of
those nights when a match has a mind of its own. Lampard scored from
close range after Drogba presented him with an easy chance 14 minutes
from the end. ­Ultimately, the victors in this tie would only have
felt secure when the referee released them from this titanic, if
blunder-strewn, spectacle.


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Sun:


Chelsea 4 Liverpool 4
Chelsea win 7-5 on aggregate

SHAUN CUSTIS

FOR anyone who needed proof football is the most fantastic,
entertaining, dramatic, nerve-shredding game ever given to the world,
this was it.

Last night’s epic will go down in Champions League history as one of
the greatest matches ever.

At times it threatened to rival Liverpool’s amazing comeback from 3-0
down in Istanbul when they won the tournament in 2005.

Chelsea skipper John Terry was emotionally drained by the end — and he
suspended.

The changing face of Terry as he sat behind the subs’ bench told the
story of an incredible battle.

Chelsea were 3-1 up from the first leg, supposedly sitting pretty and
comfortably on course for a semi-final date with Barcelona.

Yet you would not have bet against Guus Hiddink’s men going out as
they were booed off at half-time, trailing 2-0 to Fabio Aurelio’s
outrageous free-kick and Xabi Alonso’s penalty.

By the 57th minute they were back in control when Pepe Reina turned
Didier Drogba’s touch into his own net and Alex crashed home a
spectacular free-kick.

Frank Lampard’s goal to make it 3-2 on the night seemed to be extra
insurance and Liverpool’s withdrawal of striker Fernando Torres with
10 minutes left looked to be confirmation of the white flag.

But Lucas’ deflected shot gave a flicker of hope and when Dirk Kuyt
headed in Albert Riera’s cross, Chelsea were wobbling all over again.

Liverpool were 4-3 up on the night and one behind on aggregate with
eight minutes remaining.

Had they scored again, Chelsea would have gone out. But Lampard struck
again to end an unbelievable encounter.

The talk beforehand had been about Rafa Benitez gambling on his
inspirational captain Steven Gerrard.

But Gerrard did not even make the bench because of his injured groin.

Kop boss Rafa had called for an early goal to shake Chelsea up and,
after Torres curled a good chance over the top, the visitors grabbed
the advantage they wanted.

Aurelio lined up to curl a free-kick into the middle of the box but,
at the last moment, he spotted Petr Cech straying too far across his
goal and whipped a low shot from all of 30 yards into the bottom
corner.

Cech, who let in three late goals against Bolton on Saturday, was left
sprawling on the turf in embarrassment.

Cech’s fragile confidence unsettled his team-mates and they were edgy
every time a ball came into the area.

Aurelio put one into the mixer on 28 minutes from another free-kick
and Spanish referee Luis Medina Cantalejo surprisingly pointed to the
spot for a tug by the two-goal hero of the first-leg, Branislav
Ivanovic, on Alonso.

It was one of those which are rarely given but Alonso did not argue as
he smashed the ball in.

Hiddink decided it was time for drastic action and threw on Nicolas
Anelka in place of Salomon Kalou.

Dutch boss Hiddink has been round the block in his career but he
needed all his experience to sort this one out and dished out a few
harsh truths.

The effect was almost immediate as, seven minutes after the restart,
Anelka went down the right and hit in a magnificent low cross which
Drogba got a faint touch to and Pepe Reina, suffering from Cech
disease, pushed it into his net.

Then, after Drogba hit the side-netting from a free-kick, Alex showed
him how it was done unleashing an absolute screamer which swerved
beyond Reina’s despairing dive.

Terry was hugging anyone he could get his arms around and it seemed
the crisis was over, especially when Lampard converted Drogba’s cross
on 76 minutes to put the home side 3-2 ahead on the night.

Chelsea had a three-goal aggregate lead and there were only 14 minutes
left so it was merely a case of playing out time...

In the 81st minute, Lucas took a chance from 20 yards and his shot
deflected off Michael Essien, leaving Cech no hope of changing
direction.

A minute later, Kuyt headed in a cross from close range and it was
game on again.

Terry was biting his nails but, typically, Lamps put those worries to
bed with his decisive 89th-minute strike.

Essien still had to perform a miracle as he dived to head Kuyt’s shot
off the line but Liverpool could not come back again.

What a night.


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Star:

IT'S A FREE FOUR-ALL!
By Danny Fullbrook

Chelsea 4-4 Liverpool (Chelsea win 7-5 on aggregate)

FRANK LAMPARD struck twice late on as Chelsea marched into the
Champions League semi-finals after an eight-goal thriller.

Alarm bells were ringing again for Chelsea as Liverpool scored two
shock first-half goals to suggest an amazing comeback was on the
cards.

But then Chelsea produced their own magic to put them back in control
of a dramatic, seesawing quarter-final.

Fabio Aurelio scored an audacious goal on 19 minutes, while Xabi
Alonso converted a 28th-minute penalty to put the skids under Chelsea.

Their second-half response, though, was emphatic as an own-goal from
Pepe Reina, a thunderbolt by Alex and a tap-in from Lampard got
Chelsea’s campaign back on track before Lucas scored Liverpool’s third
after 81 minutes.

But the goal rush wasn’t over. Dirk Kuyt made it 4-3 to Liverpool
before Lampard levelled the scores with a minute left to send them
through to face Barcelona 7-5 on aggregate.

The Blues thought they were home and dry after securing a stunning 3-1
lead from that amazing night at Anfield six days before. But Liverpool
obviously had other ideas.

It was no surprise that the memory of that breathtaking night in
Istanbul was invoked ahead of this game.

Four years ago Liverpool were faced with having to score three times
in the second half of the Champions League final against AC Milan –
and pulled it off.

Rafa Benitez was right when he said that effort would never be matched
given it was the final, but he claimed it proved that the ‘Impossible
job’ could be done.

This time they had 90 minutes to score three goals. It was still a
tall order, but the first half went some way towards achieving it.

Guus Hiddink talked about alarm bells after Chelsea let a 4-0 lead
against Bolton at the weekend become 4-3 at the final whistle.

But Liverpool again exposed those defensive frailties, made worse by
the absence of Chelsea skipper John Terry, who was suspended after
being booked at Anfield.

Petr Cech ended Saturday’s game looking like a bowl of jelly in front
of goal, and he continued like that.

His produced an incredible cock-up for Liverpool’s opener, but it was
also a brilliant piece of improvisation by Aurelio.

Ashley Cole’s push on Dirk Kuyt won Liverpool a free-kick. Cech fully
expected a cross into the area so he moved out of his goal in
preparation.

Instead the Liverpool defender, who has been a wizard with free-kicks
this season, screwed his effort to the near post where the net was
criminally unguarded by Cech, who saw the ball embarrassingly bounce
into the goal.

It was exactly what Liverpool needed to spark their comeback into
life. The fact they were attempting to pull this off without Steven
Gerrard made it an even harder job.

The injured Liverpool skipper did not even make the bench.

The Anfield captain had trained the night before at Stamford Bridge,
but obviously there must have been major concerns over his stomach and
groin strain, despite the fact they have not got a game for another
week.

Lucas, who came in for Gerrard, was a pale imitation of the normally
inspirational Kop talisman. But this did not seem to matter to
Liverpool as Chelsea’s nerves started to fray and Benitez’s team took
full advantage.

From another set-piece a long ball was floated into the now chaotic
Chelsea box. Branislav Ivanovic, who scored those two bullet headers
at Anfield in the first leg, was the villain this time.

He pulled Alonso to the ground, admittedly while being tugged himself
by Martin Skrtel, and ref Luis Cantalejo pointed to the penalty spot.

Gerrard would have taken it if he had been on the pitch instead of in
the stands, but Alonso turned out to be a worthwhile deputy as he
stepped forward to blast the ball home.

Together with the goals Chelsea conceded against Bolton it meant they
had let in five in 48 minutes of dreadful football.

Hiddink’s response before half-time was to replace Salomon Kalou with
Nicolas Anelka, but a half-time rollicking must have worked.

Chelsea hit back immediately and decisively after the break and it was
the unlucky Reina to be caught out this time.

Anelka raced down the left and produced a low, vicious cross which
Didier Drogba helped on.

Liverpool’s Spanish goalkeeper was down low at his near-post, but
Drogba’s slight touch caught him out and he palmed the ball over the
line.

Worse followed in the 57th minute when Alex hit a 30-yard missile past
the Liverpool keeper. Chelsea could have settled the tie through
Michael Ballack, but he shot straight at Reina.

The game looked over when Lampard scored Chelsea’s third in the 76th minute.

He and Drogba played a one-two and Lampard side-footed home from eight
yards. Despite Torres going off, Liverpool scored twice again to set
up an amazing finish with two quick goals.

Lucas took a pot shot from 25 yards, but the ball took a wicked
deflection off Michael Essien and beat Cech.

Chelsea crumbled again in the 82nd minute when sub Albert Riera found
Kuyt unmarked for the Dutchman to head home – but Lampard had the last
word and Chelsea were through.


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