Rafael Benitez, fresh from winning the La Liga and UEFA Cup with Valencia, had just taken over at Liverpool and after finishing the previous season in 4th place, Liverpool were drawn against Austria’s Grazer AK (GAK) third qualifying round for Champions League.
10th August 2004 – GAK 0-2 Liverpool
Liverpool sporting their new yellow away kit dominated the match with several chances falling to striker Milan Baros and Djibril Cisse. But it was the skipper who broke the deadlock with a screamer from 25 yards. Steven Gerrard added another away goal with sweetly struck volley to give the Reds two away goals and in prime position to qualify for the Champions League.
24th August 2004 – Liverpool 0-1 GAK (agg: 2-1)
This was Benitez’s first European match at Anfield and one he would have liked to win comfortable. GAK arrived with other ideas and shocked the Anfield faithful when Mario Tokic planted a brilliant long-range volley into the top corner. No goals were added and despite losing on the night, Liverpool progressed to the group stages.
In the group stages, Liverpool were drawn with Monaco (last year’s runners up), Olympiacos and Deportivo La Coruna.
15th September 2004 – Liverpool 2-0 Monaco
French team Monaco arrived at Anfield looking to get back on track after ending up as runners up in the previous year. Liverpool Striker Cisse scored his first goal in front of his home crowd with a competent finish. Cisse was later subbed for Czech forward Baros who also got on the scoresheet with a fine finish. This was a match in which the first glimpse of the midfield pairing of Steven Gerrard and new singing Xabi Alonso was seen, they both starred in a comfortable win.
28th September 2004 – Olympiacos 1-0 Liverpool
Liverpool’s first away trip of the group stage was to a hostile Karaiskakis Stadium to play an Olympiacos side that boasted the inclusion of Brazilian legend Rivaldo. The home side took the lead after Stoltidis scored a super header from Rivaldo’s free kick. Although Liverpool improved and Olympiacos were reduced to ten-men in the latter stages of the second half, they were unable to find an equalier.
19th October 2004 – Liverpool 0-0 Deportivo La Coruna
Next it was back to Anfield for the Reds and Deportivo were the opponents. Deportivo possessed a goalkeeper in fine form as Jose Molina thwarted the Liverpool front line repeatedly. Both sides were unable to break the deadlock and had to settle for a point each. This meant that out of a possible nine points, Liverpool were only able to collect four and had their work cut out in the second half of the group stage.
3rd November 2004 – Deportivo La Coruna 0-1 Liverpool
Deportivo were at the bottom of the group and had failed to register a goal so far so Liverpool fancied their chances. Liverpool dominated and benefitted from a slice of luck when Deportivo defender Jorge Andrade put the ball into his own net. It proved to be the only goal of the game which ensured a happy return to Spain for Benitez.
23rd November 2004 – Monaco 1-0 Liverpool
Liverpool’s resurgence was short lived. A bout of injuries meant Benitez had to field a weakened side and Monaco took full advantage. Former Barcelona striker Javier Saviola netted the only goal of the match and the travelling Liverpool fans were left disappointed after another away loss.
8th December 2004 – Liverpool 3-1 Olympiacos
The permutations to qualify were clear for Liverpool; they had to win by two clear goals. Olympiacos were also bidding to qualify to the last 16 and they took the lead with a free kick from Rivaldo. Liverpool went into the interval 1-0 down and needed to score three goals without reply. A tough ask for any side. Rafa brought on French striker Florent Sinama Pongolle and within a minute of his arrival he found the back of the net. The match headed into the last ten minutes and Liverpool piled on the pressure. A cross from the left fell kindly for another substitute, this time Neil Mellor, to tap in and Liverpool led. In the 86th minute, the ball broke out to Gerrard approximately 22 yards from goal and it was then that the skipper pulled off one of the cleanest half-volley football has seen. The ball flew into the net and Anfied erupted. Liverpool progressed.
At the end of the group stage, Liverpool finished in second place behind Monaco. The Reds would have been wary of the teams they could have drawn in the last 16, which included the likes of Inter, AC Milan and Juventus. However, it seemed Lady Luck had smiled on Liverpool as they drew German side Bayer Leverkusen who had surprisingly finished ahead of Real Madrid in their group.
22th February 2005 1st leg – Liverpool 3-1 Bayer Leverkusen
New signing Fernando Morientes was cup-tied and the talismanic Gerrard was suspended for this first leg. Liverpool scored two goals in the first half thanks to Luis Garcia and John Arne Riise. The second half was less entertaining but Didi Hamaan made it three to the Reds in the 92nd minute however a minute later, Leverkusen scored an away goal to make it 3-1.
9th March 2005 2nd leg – Bayer Leverkusen 1-3 Liverpool (agg: 2-6)
The 2nd leg started in similar fashion as a Luis Garcia brace and Milan Baros goal opened up a three nil lead. Leverkusen pulled one back through but it was a mere consolation. Liverpool were too clinical for Leverkusen in both legs and Rafa’s men were through to the quarter finals.
5th April 2005 1st leg – Liverpool 2-1 Juventus
A Juventus side featuring world class players such as Del Piero, Ibrahimovic, Nedved and Buffon arrived at an atmospheric Anfield to take on Liverpool. The Reds took an early lead through defender Sami Hyypia after he connected with a corner to find the net. A stunned Juventus found themselves behind by two shortly afterwards when Spaniard Luis Garcia struck a superb volley beyond the despairing dive from Buffon. However, Fabio Cannavaro pulled one back to leave the tie delicately poised for the 2nd leg.
13th April 2005 2nd leg – Juventus 0-0 Liverpool (agg: 1-2)
Eight days later, Liverpool went to Turin. From the start, it was clear that Liverpool were happy with their lead set out accordingly. The defensive line of Steve Finnan, Sami Hyypia, Jamie Carragher and Djimi Traore kept out Juventus and managed to keep a brilliant clean sheet. Liverpool progressed with a superior aggregate score and a Champions League semi final against English rivals Chelsea beckoned.
27th April 2005 1st leg – Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
Despite this being their first season in charge of their respective clubs, Benitez and Jose Mourinho were already familiar with each other. Chelsea were the favourites and Stamford Bridge was full but both teams drew a blank as they failed to break the defence which meant that it all rested in the return leg at Anfield.
3th May 2005 2nd leg – Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea (agg: 1-0)
Anfield was electric. It took only three minutes for the deadlock to be broken when Gerrard’s flick sent Baros through who managed to tap the ball past Cech despite being taken out by the keeper. The ball was agonisingly bouncing towards the goal but Luis Garcia made sure it went in by racing on to it and nudging it in. William Gallas did manage to clear it but it was not before the ball had crossed the line and after some initial confusion, Liverpool were awarded the goal, cue pandemonium. Chelsea needed only one goal to go through with the away goals rule but that goal never came as Liverpool’s defence were form and solid. The closest Chelsea came to scoring was the last kick off the game when Eidur Gudjohnson flashed a shot inches past Dudek’s goal. Full time and a truly heroic Liverpool team booked a trip to Istanbul with a magnificent win.
The final was boring right?
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