2008/09 Liverpool FC 4-0 Real Madrid CF: Report

Liverpool FC enhanced their European reputation under Rafael Benítez when they ended Real Madrid CF's UEFA Champions League ambitions with a 4-0 win on a memorable night at Anfield.

Benítez's cunning in UEFA competition had been on show a fortnight previously as the Reds stole a 1-0 win at their manager's old stamping ground of the Santiago Bernabéu in the first leg of their round of 16 tie. The return was something else.

"Why does Benítez play with two defensive midfielders? Because he doesn't have three." The joke doing the rounds during the Spaniard's tenure may have held some truth but, against the Merengues, there was only one thing on his team's mind. The Reds started like a train, Iker Casillas preventing Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano from giving them an early lead.

Liverpool were taking the bull by the horns and, for former Club Atlético de Madrid captain Torres, the Merengues' white might as well have been a red rag. He got his reward after 16 minutes, flicking on Jamie Carragher's hopeful punt, shrugging off Pepe and applying the finishing touch to Dirk Kuyt's return pass.

Though Steven Gerrard was denied by Casillas after more tormenting from Torres, the England midfielder soon had cause for celebration on his 100th European appearance for the club. Gabriel Heinze's handball gave him a straightforward opener from the spot, but his second, two minutes after half-time, required peerless technique.

Ryan Babel crossed from the left and Gerrard opened up his body to side-foot the ball as sweetly as he could have wished. Casillas was well beaten on that occasion and Madrid, Wesley Sneijder and Gonzalo Higuaín's attempts aside, were too.

Liverpool, though, were not done. Their frantic harrying paid off again with two minutes left. Kuyt won back the ball before Babel and Mascherano set up Andrea Dossena to add a touch of gloss to the scoreline. Liverpool's date with destiny in Rome, where they had held aloft the European Champion Clubs' Cup in 1977 and 1984, was on. Chelsea, awaiting in the quarter-finals, had not read the script, however.