Liverpool 2 Ateltico Madrid 1 (agg 2-2, Ateltico go through on away goals): United flop Forlan dashes hopes of an all-English final

By Matt Lawton

Rescue man: Alberto Aquilani scores Liverpool's first goal, moments before the interval


When the stadium announcer declared at the end of normal time here last night that Fulham had progressed to the final of the Europa League, there was a great roar from the Anfield Kop that suggested Liverpool really fancied their chances of winning this competition.

It was mixed with applause. A sporting 'well done' for that remarkable little team from London. But you could also sense that feeling of anticipation. The misplaced belief that another major European trophy was about to follow for Rafa Benitez

This, however, has not been Benitez's season, on the contrary in fact, and in the end Diego Forlan saw to it that the Spaniard suffered what could be the last crushing setback of his Liverpool reign.



If the Anfield hierarchy really have made no attempt to ask Benitez if he would rather remain their manager than disappear to Juventus, losing like this is unlikely to hurry them into action. Atletico are not a particularly good side, Fulham might like to know, even if Liverpool made them look half decent.

His team were poor here last night, failing to build on an energetic first- half display, and a 44thminute goal from Alberto Aquilani, with a performance that in any way eased the threat of an away goal for the opposition.

They failed even to trouble Atletico's teenage goalkeeper, David de Gea, during the second half, only adding the goal they hoped would prove enough four minutes into extra time. Liverpool's best player on the night, and for some reason taken off by Benitez, Yossi Benayoun scored with a terrific first-time left-foot strike after accelerating on to a delightful chip from Lucas.


Under pressure: Ryan Babel battles with Atletico's Alvaro Dominguez for the ball


That it was Forlan who then delivered the riposte eight minutes later was depressingly predictable. Once a tormentor here in a Manchester United shirt and again in Madrid last week, the Uruguayan forward popped up unmarked to meet a ball from Jose Antonio Reyes with a close-range finish. That Reyes had capitalised on the fact that Glen Johnson lost his footing only added to the damage inflicted on Benitez. Johnson, after all, had been asked to play at left back for the first time at Liverpool.

For once, Liverpool's pain was also shared by Forlan's former United colleagues.

Extra time for Liverpool amounted to the stuff of nightmares for Sir Alex Ferguson's men when they need them to put up a fight against Chelsea on Sunday.


Their confidence shattered by losing in the cruellest fashion imaginable - the away goals rule - Liverpool will struggle to muster any kind of response after this. The season is over and for Benitez the love affair with Liverpool might well be over too.

This did have the feel of a European farewell for the Spaniard. A last continental night for the manager who had proved something of a master when it came to European competition. Two Champions League finals, one of them ending in victory in 2005, looked like it might be followed by a third last night. But alas no. Not in this season of horrors for Benitez.

An avalanche of criticism will now follow. For that early Champions League exit; for those 10 defeats in the Barclays Premier League; for their failure to build on the progress they made the previous season when they finished a close second in the league to United. Fernando Torres might have been missing last night but it is the lack of quality in his squad that has so undermined Liverpool's ambitions. Just look at the bench they had last night. Desperate. Not a Liverpool player among them. Not for a match of this magnitude anyway.

When Aquilani struck, Benitez no doubt felt vindicated. His boy had finally come good. The Italian has been one of the many sticks Benitez has been beaten with this season.


Leading the way: A typically combative Steven Gerrard powers past Paulo Assuncao, as team-mate Yossi Benayoun looks on


Injured so seriously when he arrived that he did not make an appearance in the Premier League until November, it was quickly agreed that he was no substitute for the player he was brought in to replace. The very much missed Xabi Alonso.

Aquilani was dismissed as a waste of £17million the club's American owners clearly don't have; another damning indictment of Benitez's hit-and-miss transfer policy.

But when it really mattered most, in this most absorbing of Europa League semi-finals, he produced an impressive goal to level this tie. It was only his second goal since arriving here last August, but further evidence that he is finally starting to find his feet.

How satisfied Benitez must have felt. How timely given his moan the previous day. A moan that seemed to overlook the fact that those same people he now accuses of ignoring him gave him a bumper new contract last year. That seemed to ignore the contribution his own agent has made in adding to the mystery and intrigue surrounding the possible move to Turin.


Bare cheek: Former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan celebrates his crucial strike for Atletico Madrid


When Benayoun accelerated away from Reyes in pursuit of a Javier Mascherano throw-in - he was at right back in a reshuffled side - Aquilani struck with a first-time shot that should have lifted Liverpool.

But they seemed to run out of steam as well as ideas as the second half wore on and this time they could not even complain about travel fatigue.

Benitez could point to the chance that Dirk Kuyt had already squandered, and a first-half goal that was disallowed when Daniel Agger came from an offside position to divert a Steven Gerrard free-kick past De Gea with a powerful header.

It was evidence that Liverpool did create chances.

But there was none of that fight that for so often typified Benitez's Liverpool.

None of the spirit they drew on in Istanbul and here when they met teams like Olympiakos. Benayoun took his goal beautifully, seizing on that ball from Lucas to crown a fine individual display.

But the strength and resolve they then required was missing when they needed it most. 'He comes from Uruguay, he made the Scousers cry,' was how United's fans used to sing about Forlan. At Anfield this season the tears have flowed far too often.


source:dailymail