2010 Europa League last 16, 2nd Leg Liverpool 4-1 Benfica. (First Leg 1-2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8IRF6f7TmE
In the glorious history of Liverpool in Europe, this match means next to nothing.
But during one of the most disappointing campaigns in the recent history of the club, it meant an absolute huge amount.
It’s a match that would prove to be one of the highlights of the season. It’s a match that would include one of the best counter attacking goals ever seen at Anfield. It’s the moment Lucas Leiva came of age for Liverpool. It would the last time we’d see Fernando Torres managed by Rafael Benitez. In fact, it would be the last time Fernando Torres would play like Fernando Torres.
And it would be the last high point of Rafa’s 6 year spell at the club.
A spell that saw the Reds climb up to 1st in the Uefa rankings after winning the Champions League in 2005, reaching the final in 2007, the semis in 08 and the quarters in 09.
A spell that saw teams like Juventus, Chelsea (twice), Milan, Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan and Real Madrid all dismantled and beaten.
A spell that, in its 5th year, saw Liverpool challenge for the title for the first time under Benitez, reach 86 points, lose only 2 games and finish 2nd.
A spell that, by the time this game was played, we all knew was coming to a close.
Rafa knew it. The players knew it. The fans knew it. By the end of the season, it was highly likely that we’d be looking for a new manager.
The departure of Xabi Alonso, the horribly misguided purchase of Alberto Aquilani and the inability of the owners to give Rafa money to spend above what he brought in led to us looking like we’d miss out on Champions League qualification for next season.
It also led to us, the number 1 ranked team in Europe, getting knocked out of Europe’s elite competition at the groups stages and having to compete in that season’s Europa League.
Noone really wanted to be in it. Noone was particularly bothered about it. But by the time Unirea and Lille were dismantled, and a mouth watering tie with Benfica was drawn out of the hat, most Reds were desperate to win it.
In a horrible season, we all needed a lift. A great trip to Hamburg awaited the finalists. It would be great to get a trophy for the first time in 4 years. It was about time players like Torres, Mascherano, Kuyt et al got a medal for what they’d done for the club.
And it would be fantastic for Rafa too. A Europa League win would mean that he’d have won 75% of the biggest trophies in football for Liverpool during his tenure. It would also be a rub in the nose to all those snakes in the media who had done everything to belittle him all season. And, who knows, maybe it would buy him some more time. And if not, at least he could go out on a high.
I was never an “In Rafa we trust” subscriber but I had great affection for the man. I wanted the story, should it end, to end well. And I wanted him to stick 2 fingers up at the detestable parasites that form the English media.
We lost 2-1 in the first leg to a team that included Di Maria, Luiz, Ramires, Aimar, Cardozo et al. It was a match where every single decision favored the hosts. A ridiculous red card for Babel early on, 2 penalties given to them, a goal disallowed to us for a very tight offside. And it was a game that included a (then) uncharacteristic one on one miss by Torres.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8-c_H9PlIw&feature=related
But in the return leg, the Reds tore into them. Torres took a knock early on but carried on. Dirk Kuyt then scored a header from a corner which the linesman wanted to disallow for some reason- but it stood. Lucas then scored after a sweeping move by Benayoun and Gerrard. The Reds were playing some of the best football seen since September and went into the break 2 up.
Early in the second, we scored a wonderful breakaway goal. From the edge of our area into the opposition net in a flash. Mascherano to Benayoun, to Kuyt, to Torres. 3-0. Surely all over.
Cardozo then pulled one back for Benfica from a free kick and they just needed on more to get through. But then, Lucas went into a crunching tackle on a Benfica player, Mascherano found Torres who chipped over the keeper to make it 4-1.
The Kop went wild and the players too. Rafa? He gave Lucas thumbs up for the tackle.
Fernando Torres then came off struggling with the knock to the knee he took early on. It would later transpire he’d need an operation and miss the rest of the season. He decided to have the operation in order to rush back and play in the World Cup.
He’s never been the same player since.
The game ended 4-1 and we all looked forward to the semis.
But there was to be no fairytale finish. Rafa would leave in the Summer after a 7th place finish in the league and a semi final heartbreaking loss against Atletico Madrid. There was to be no goodbye trophy or a successful seal to his era
Instead, this would prove to be his last great moment at Anfield.
It seems fitting that in an era defined by European glory, great games under the floodlights at Anfield and some fantastic displays against Europe’s best teams would give us one last wonderful performance and one last great moment.
It would be a wonderful final reminder of the way his team could play at times. With a high tempo, controlled aggression, sharp passing and efficient finishing.
It also seemed to be the coming of age party of one his most criticized signing: Lucas Leiva, who from then on would be a mainstay in the Reds starting 11 and a fan’s favorite. It could also prove to be the last great chapter written in the career of his most successful signing, Fernando Torres.
It was wonderfully poetic too that it came against the only side that had ,in 2006, embarrassed Rafa’s Reds in the knockout phase of Champions League under his tenure.
As if we were living in a Godfather movie: and all family business had now been settled.
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