Bayer Leverkusen 1 Liverpool 3 (Agg: 2-6): The enigma that is Liverpool continues to confound, though last night theirs was a glorious contribution to the Premiership's assault on Europe. Horrendously inconsistent they may be domestically, but they have now seared into the quarter-finals of this elite competition for only the second time in 20 years. Talk of a Spanish-inspired renaissance is sweeping the continent.
Few who have endured the flipside to the Merseysiders' season will be concurring just yet, but the significance of Rafael Benitez's achievement should not be underestimated. Three years ago Bayer Leverkusen humbled Liverpool here and, while the Germans boasted a far better side then, this was still an annihilation few could have envisaged. The visiting fans crowed "We've only won it four times"; slowly but surely, belief is swelling they could pluck an improbable fifth European Cup from a bizarre season.
Leverkusen's imposing form in this arena had suggested this would prove an awkward evening, though the reality was anything but daunting. By the interval Liverpool's progress appeared assured, with their aggregate advantage stretched to four goals and the Germans' most prolific scorer, Dimitar Berbatov, injured and replaced. The hosts' makeshift defence was shambolic.
The visitors had done all they could to remain impervious to the pressure in the build-up with Benitez even spending Tuesday night mixing with his people, the Spaniard coaxed to Jameson's Irish bar in Cologne by a group of Liverpool supporters to watch Manchester United slip out of this competition on the big screen. The manager entered the pub to a stunned chorus of "Rafa get the ales in".
That was a reminder of the affection in which he is still held given Liverpool's recent form has lurched from the dismal to the vaguely encouraging - six of their previous 10 games had been lost - though, in an arena where they have suffered before, they purred. Luis Garcia's brace midway through the first period effectively propelled the Merseysiders through, but it was Steven Gerrard's presence which inspired.
The captain missed the first leg of this tie through suspension and spent the opening exchanges here misplacing passes at an alarming rate, his form apparently still anchored by the haunting memories of the League Cup final. But once he shrugged himself from his malaise, Liverpool were simply untouchable. It was the England midfielder's exchange of passes with Milan Baros which forced Bayer back as the half-hour approached, Diego Placente blocking the Czech's charge for Gerrard to batter at goal. Jorg Butt did well to turn that shot aside but the home side were pinned back from the resultant corner, Gerrard given time to skim a cross from the right which Garcia, eluding Placente, flicked home from the edge of the six-yard box.
Leverkusen's misery was compounded within five minutes as Gerrard's corner was nodded down by Igor Biscan for Garcia, from point-blank range, to prod his eighth goal of the season into the empty net. The Spaniard might have plundered a first-half hat-trick had Butt not tipped aside another belted attempt leaving Placente to take out his frustrations on Baros off the ball, the elbow flung at the Czech going unnoticed by the officials.
Bayer had revelled in victories over Real Madrid, Roma and Dynamo Kiev in the group stage and even dispatched Bayern Munich 4-1 in a Bundesliga game here this season. Yet the storm they had hoped to whip up had fizzled disastrously, checked by air-kicks from Landon Donovan and Franca.
Thereafter, with Berbatov absent, their game of catch-up was never likely to prompt reward. Horrible misses from Franca and the substitute Andrej Voronin summed up their night, for all that Franca did force Dudek to palm away a more accurate attempt. The sight of the Pole denying a comeback was too much for many to take, the ease at which Baros sauntered into space to spear beyond Butt to add a third leaving the locals furious. Jacek Krzynowek managed to conjure a consolation with two minutes remaining.
BAYER LEVERKUSEN: Butt, Schneider, Callsen-Bracker, Ramelow (Castro 70), Placente, Babic, Bierofka, Krzynowek, Donovan (Fritz 53), Franca, Berbatov (Voronin 32). Subs not used: Starke, Ozturk, Dum, Rottger. Booked: Bierofka. Goal: Krzynowek 88.
LIVERPOOL: Dudek, Finnan (Nunez 74), Hyypia, Carragher (Welsh 70), Warnock, Luis Garcia, Hamann (Smicer 62), Biscan, Riise, Gerrard, Baros. Subs not used: Carson, Le Tallec, Raven, Potter. Goals: Luis Garcia 28, 32, Baros 67.
Referee: Alain Sars (France).
