Top 5 Champions League Nights At Anfield!

Liverpool go into tonight’s Champions League clash tonight with Real Madrid as huge underdogs. However, the famous Anfield ground has seen some magical European nights over the years, and Reds fans will be hoping for another to add to this famous list…

Liverpool 4:2 Arsenal, Quarter-Final 2nd Leg 2008

A 1:1 draw in the first leg at the Emirates set up an intriguing second leg at Anfield. Abou Diaby put the Gunners ahead but goals from Sami Hyypia and Fernando Torres looked to have put Liverpool through on aggregate.

However, an Emmanuel Adebayor equaliser with six minutes to go put the tie in Arsenal’s favour on away goals. Benitez’s men were more than resilient, winning a penalty immediately which Steven Gerrard calmly dispatched before Ryan Babel guaranteed a semi-final clash with Chelsea.

Liverpool 4:0 Real Madrid, First Knockout Stage 2009

While the 2009 Real Madrid may not have had Ronaldo, they did feature the likes of Raul, Arjen Robben and Gonzalo Higuain. Liverpool had won the first leg with a Yossi Benayoun strike in the Bernabeu and Fernando Torres didn’t take long to double their aggregate lead with a 16th minute tap-in.

The Spaniard inspired a scintillating display for the Reds who added a further two goals from Gerrard and another from Andrea Dossena to set up an all-English quarter-final with Chelsea.

Liverpool 1:0 Chelsea, Semi-Final 2nd Leg 2005

As is becoming clear, Chelsea were regular sparring partners in Europe for Liverpool in the Noughties. This is probably the most famous clash of all.

A goalless draw at Stamford Bridge in the first leg had set up a winner-takes-all encounter at Anfield. Luis Garcia took just four minutes to put Rafa Benitez’s side ahead, with a controversial goal that Jose Mourinho is probably still insisting didn’t cross the line.

Liverpool’s defence withstood a Chelsea onslaught for the remainder of the match but held out to reach a first European Cup final in 20 years. And we all know what happened next…

Liverpool 3:1 Olympiakos, Group Stage 2004:

Rivaldo’s first-half free-kick left Liverpool needing three goals to progress to the knockout stage. Substitute Florent Sinama Pongolle equalised before a Neil Mellor strike set up a tense final nine minutes at Anfield.

Steven Gerrard should have seen red for a wild kick on an Olympiakos midfielder, before firing a famous daisy-cutter into the bottom corner.

Chelsea Champions League Semi-Final, Second Leg 2007

Another historic European night at Anfield…another clash with Chelsea, with added bite after Liverpool’s controversial win two years earlier.

Mourinho’s side led 1:0 from the first leg but a Daniel Agger finish leveled the tie in the first half. Neither side could find a winner in a scrappy match as penalties beckoned. Arjen Robben and Geremi missed their spot-kicks before Dirk Kuyt despatched a winning penalty to set up another Champions League final with AC Milan.