Benfica wary of Liverpool legacy

Those Liverpool FC supporters who believe in lucky omens will have greeted the draw for the first knockout round with enthusiasm. On the three previous occasions they have faced SL Benfica, Liverpool have always come out on top and each time have gone on to reach the final. However, the Portuguese champions can take comfort from having already defeated English opposition in this year's competition in the form of 1999 winners Manchester United FC.

Second crown
• The previous meetings began in the 1977/78 European Champion Clubs' Cup quarter-final when Liverpool posted two wins: 2-1 in Lisbon and 4-1 at Anfield. After progressing to the final they then overcame Club Brugge KV 1-0 to retain the trophy they had won for the first time the previous year.

Rampant away
• Six seasons later and at the same stage, Liverpool notched a 1-0 home win and followed it up with a 4-1 away victory in the Estádio da Luz in which Ronnie Whelan scored twice. The final again saw Liverpool colours raised in triumph after they beat AS Roma on penalties, the game having ended 1-1 after extra time.

A Rush job
• The following season the teams were drawn out of the hat together again, this time in the second round with Benfica claiming their one and only victory against the Merseyside club in six attempts. However, Liverpool's 3-1 win in the first game, courtesy of Ian Rush's hat-trick, meant that Benfica's 1-0 win in the return was not enough. Despite reaching another final Liverpool failed to add to their tally of title triumphs as Juventus came out on top by a single goal.

Twice winners
• Benfica, competing in the UEFA Champions League for the third time and ending an absence of seven years, will be hoping to reverse the pattern of Liverpool superiority and claim a quarter-final berth for the second time, matching their achievement in the 1994/95 season. The Portuguese side were the first to break Real Madrid CF's hegemony in Europe, winning the European Cup in 1960/61 and again the following season.

This time last year
• On their way to last season's success, Liverpool's first in the UEFA Champions League and their fifth European Cup overall, they had cruised past Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the first knockout round, winning both legs 3-1. Luis García was on target three times over the two games.

Difficult group
• This season, Benfica had a difficult group-stage campaign, two defeats dimming their prospects before they rallied to stun United and clinch second place behind Villarreal CF.

Last English visit
• Benfica's chances did not look promising on Matchday 6 when Paul Scholes shot United ahead with only six minutes on the clock. Benfica came back strongly and Geovanni and Beto fired the goals which enabled Ronald Koeman's team to progress.

Unbeaten record
• Having advanced through all three qualifying rounds, Liverpool emerged from the group stage unbeaten, winning three and drawing three of their six games to top the section. They began Group G with a 2-1 win away to Real Betis Balompié and Arzu's strike proved to be the only time the Liverpool defence has been breached in the competition proper, the two 0-0 draws with Chelsea FC helping Rafael Benítez's men to keep ahead of their English rivals.

Solitary victory
• At home against English clubs in Europe, Benfica have hardly been dominant – winning three and losing three of the eight games.

• With the trip to Anfield looming on 8 March, Benfica have lost all but one of their nine previous visits to England in UEFA club competition, including their defeat by United at Wembley in the 1967 European Cup final. The sole exception was the 1991/92 European Cup when they recorded a 3-1 victory against Arsenal FC in the second round.

Single reverse
• Apart from their tussles with Benfica, Liverpool have only encountered opposition from Portugal on two occasions, the 2000/01 UEFA Cup quarter-final with FC Porto and the following season's UEFA Champions League first group stage when they were paired with Boavista FC.

• In ten matches with teams from that country Liverpool have only once tasted defeat and are unbeaten at Anfield.