LONDON // It was a match that will go down in the annals of Champions League history. Blunders and brilliance, passion and pain, this Champions League quarter-final second leg had it all. But you can be rest assured Chelsea and Liverpool will not want to go through such a heart-stopping, gut-wrenching experience again.
Neither were happy at the end of an unbelievable 4-4 draw at Stamford Bridge that gave the Blues a sem-final meeting with Barcelona, courtesy of their 3-1 win at Anfield. Guus Hiddink's side were relieved, their valiant opponents proud, but still full of despair. Frank Lampard, whose last-minute strike settled the tie with Rafa Benitez's men chasing the one more goal they needed, admits Chelsea cannot afford to perform like this against the silky Spaniards.
"Barcelona are the form team in Europe, if not the world," he said. "They have got some outstanding individuals and probably the best player in the world in [Lionel] Messi. "If we are going to beat them, we need to play at the level we achieved in the first leg against Liverpool. We need that and more against Barcelona to win. We have to be strong and we need to tighten up defensively. "If we get our minds right and prepare right then we have a chance."
Without the suspended John Terry, Chelsea were susceptible at the back and Petr Cech a bumbling wreck in goal. Fabio Aurelio and Xabi Alonso's penalty had Liverpool in control before angry half-time words from Hiddink inspired his team to fight back and match the passion of the visitors. "It was a case of 'just turn up and play please' [from Hiddink] because in the first half we did not turn up," said Lampard.
"We knew we had to up our game. The way Liverpool played was very, very special, but we made it difficult for ourselves." A double from Lampard, Didier Drogba and a 30-yard free-kick thunderbolt from Alex provided Chelsea's goals, while Lucas and Dirk Kuyt's bullet header gave Liverpool faint hope. Despite the result, this Reds performance will rank alongside that one in Istanbul where they came from three goals down at half-time to level against AC Milan and win the Champions League on penalties. Such was their courageous effort from start to finish, it felt like Liverpool had more than 11 players on the pitch.
With the emotional 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough tragedy yesterday, Pepe Reina said they had been inspired by those supporters who had lost their lives at the FA Cup semi-final tie with Nottingham Forest. "We tried our best for the 96," he said. "We were playing as 11 guys, but we were also lifted by 96 souls." You can only admire their attempt to achieve another mission impossible. akhan@thenational.ae
