HAVEN'T WE BEEN HERE BEFORE? by Sanjeev Kumar

MyRAWK ADMIN: A big thanks to Sanjeev Kumar for his contribution on Liverpool being in the European Champions League Cup Semi-Final. We invite many of you to contribute to us by sending in your entries at myrawk@gmail.com

Good stuff, Sanjeev! For all those not sure, the game is on tonite, Liverpool FC vs Chelsea FC- WED 23 April @ 2:45AM @ Ch. 812 ESPN.



Winning, they say, is a habit, and Liverpool are certainly in the habit of winning European Cup semi-finals.

The Reds go into this latest Chelsea clash having lost just one of their eight semi-finals in continental football's premier competition – and that was 43 years ago.

FC Zurich, Borussia Monchengladbach, Bayern Munich, Dinamo Bucharest, Panathinaikos and Chelsea have all been dispatched at this stage, with only Inter Milan able to boast a last-four victory over Liverpool.

Here we look back on all eight encounters – and if you thought 2005 was dramatic, you better think again.



INTER MILAN 1965

Liverpool 3-1 Inter Milan

Anfield's first big European night will always rank as the greatest among more senior members of the Kop fraternity. The arrival of the World Club Champions was eagerly anticipated, with lengthy queues snaking around the ground from midday. Come kick-off, the raucous crowd (roused further by the sight of injured Gerry Byrne and Gordon Milne parading the FA Cup) seemed to frighten the life out of the Italians. Liverpool proceeded to hand out a footballing lesson to Inter's array of stars. By half-time the Reds were 2-1 ahead thanks to Roger Hunt and Ian Callaghan. Ian St John sealed a memorable victory late in the second half, prompting a round of 'Go Back To Italy' to the tune of Santa Lucia from an exuberant Kop.


Inter Milan 3-0 Liverpool

Inter might have been European champions, and they might have had the meanest backline in the world, but Bill Shankly's Reds travelled to the San Siro with an air of confidence. What they hadn't banked on, however, was a seemingly biased referee intent on giving every decision to the home side.
Disaster struck after just eight minutes when Ronnie Moran upended the Brazilian Jair. Spaniard Jose Ortiz de Mendebil indicated an indirect free-kick, yet turned a blind eye when Corso slammed the ball straight into Tommy Lawrence's net. Two minutes later, Shanks' frustration turned to astonishment when Joaquin Peiro kicked the ball out of Lawrence's hands and swept it home. The goal would never have been allowed in England.
With 82,000 Italians setting off firecrackers, flares and rockets, the odds were now firmly stacked against the visitors. On 62 minutes, Giacinto Facchetti shattered the Merseysiders' European dream when he burst through and fired an unstoppable drive beyond Lawrence.




FC ZURICH 1977

FC Zurich 1-3 Liverpool

The Reds were handed what was, on paper at least, the easiest semi-final draw, and that's how it proved to be. Mind, Bob Paisley's men were given an early shock when Tommy Smith fouled Fredy Scheiwiler in the box. Peter Risi put the Swiss ahead from the spot, though nine minutes later the scores were level - and it was a goal straight from the training ground. Phil Neal ghosted in at the far post before casually chesting Ray Kennedy's free-kick and slotting calmly into the net. A second-half strike from Steve Heighway and a penalty from Neal left the tie firmly in Liverpool's favour as the sides headed to Anfield.

FC Zurich

Liverpool 3-0 FC Zurich

The first of two semi-finals in a week for the Reds. With a Cup clash against Everton just around the corner, and Liverpool sat proudly at the top of the league, a unique treble was still on for Paisley's world beaters. The home crowd had to wait half-an-hour for a breakthrough when Jimmy Case robbed Chapuisat to create a 4-1 aggregate lead. The number eight added a second with 15 minutes remaining before Kevin Keegan wrapped things up with a close-range header. Next stop Rome, where Liverpool would win the first of their five European Cups.




BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH 1978

Borussia Monchengladbach 2-1 Liverpool

Bob Paisley is said to have flinched when he heard the draw for this semi-final. Although his side would have had a testing time against either Juventus or FC Bruges, it was Monchengladbach, a team full of West Germany internationals, who the great man feared most. The tie was given an extra edge by the fact Liverpool had beaten their opponents in the previous year's final. Paisley knew they'd be out for revenge, but with the league, FA Cup and League Cup now out of their grasp, this was the Reds' last chance of silverware. Paisley sent out eight defensive-minded players with firm instructions to give nothing away ahead of the Anfield return. The plan seemed to be working until rookie defender Wilfried Hannes headed home from a corner early in the second half. The Liverpool bench was forced to act. On came David Johnson and Graeme Souness, the latter getting his first taste of European football. Talk about inspired. Johnson darted through the German defence on 88 minutes to nod in Jimmy Case's cross, and although Bonhof curled a 25-yard free-kick beyond Ray Clemence just a minute later, the holders were more than happy to fly back to Merseyside with an all-important away goal.

Liverpool 3-0 Borussia Monchengladbach

After entering the fray so effectively in Germany, Souness was handed the number 11 shirt for his first start in continental football. Characteristically, he took his chance, rolling the ball around elegantly in midfield. Anfield waited a mere six minutes to erupt when Ray Kennedy headed home a Kenny Dalglish cross. The roles were reversed on 34 minutes when Dalglish steered the ball past Wolfgang Kleff after Kennedy's knock down. The tie was then killed as Jimmy Case dummied Hannes before cutting inside and blasting past the helpless Kleff. Liverpool were through to their second successive European Cup final, where they'd meet FC Bruges.




BAYERN MUNICH 1981

Liverpool 0-0 Bayern Munich

The Germans flew into Merseyside armed with one of the most deadly weapons in the world game – European Footballer of the Year Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. Bob Paisley had a new goalscoring sensation of his own in 19-year-old Ian Rush, but as fate would have it, it was defenders, not attackers, who came out on top during a stalemate first leg. Without the drive of the injured Souness, the Reds were unable to breach a well-marshalled Bayern defence. As the final whistle blew, visiting coach Pal Csernai knew he held the upperhand.

Bayern Munich 1-1 Liverpool

The home side were so confident of securing a place in the Paris final that directions to the French capital were given to locals as they entered the Olympic Stadium. Bearded Bayern skipper Paul Breitner even came out in public to write off Liverpool's chances, but in doing so he played right into Scouse hands. Inspired by those taunts, an injury-hit Liverpool stunned the Germans. Rookie winger Howie Gayle, an early replacement for the limping Dalglish, ran the Munich defence ragged. In fact, he did so much running that, by the closing stages of the second half, he had to be substituted himself. By this stage, Liverpool were in the ascendancy. A Ray Kennedy strike seven minutes from time confirmed their superiority on the night – with Rummenigge's late equaliser proving a mere consolation. It was the Reds who were on their way to Paris, where they'd face the original European Cup kings Real Madrid.




DINAMO BUCHAREST 1984

Liverpool 1-0 Dinamo Bucharest

The Romanians arrived at Anfield with no fear having eliminated holders SV Hamburg, and the first leg proved tough in every sense for Joe Fagan's Redmen. Rarely had Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush received such man-handling. The pair were scythed, spat at, kicked and dragged for 90 minutes. But when the visitors tried it on with Graeme Souness, it resulted in a broken jaw for Lica Movila. A Sammy Lee header from Alan Kennedy's free-kick made it advantage Liverpool going into the second leg, though there was still much to do to make the final in Rome.

Dinamo Bucharest 1-2 Liverpool

Rush Dinamo Bucharest 1984With a 70,000 crowd baying for blood (preferably that of a certain Scottish midfielder) the game quickly descended into something only vaguely resembling a football match. Souness was booed at every turn; though the Romanian players kept their distance, no doubt fearing the same fate as Movila. They instead took their revenge on Ian Rush, whose treatment would have thwarted a lesser player. But Rushy was not one to be intimidated, and his 39th and 40th goals of the season kept the Reds on course for a unique treble.




PANATHINAIKOS 1985

Liverpool 4-0 Panathinaikos

European kings Liverpool were clear favourites to reach a second successive final, though boss Joe Fagan refused to take the Greek champions for granted ahead of the first leg. "Once you reach the semi-finals of any competition, there are no favourites, only winners and losers," the bootroom legend warned his players beforehand. As it turned out, the Reds had all but ensured they were the former with more than 90 minutes to spare with goals from John Wark, Jim Beglin and Ian Rush (2)...


Panathinaikos 0-1 Liverpool

...Not that there was any telling the 60,000 fanatical Greeks who turned out in Athens equipped with firecrackers and horns. But Liverpool had seen and done far too much during 20 years of continental football to be caught in the headlights. A classy Mark Lawrenson strike on 60 minutes added further gloss to the result and the Reds were on their way to Brussels. The final, however, would prove to be one of the darkest days in the club's history.




CHELSEA 2005

Garcia during the FA Cup win over Chelsea

Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool

A first leg which was cagey than a zoo - not that it was short of drama. French referee Alain Sars flashed yellow at Xabi Alonso following an innocuous challenge on Eidur Gudjohnsen, a decision which would rule the influential midfielder out of the Anfield return. Liverpool's best chance on the night fell to the head of Milan Baros, but a world-class save from Petr Cech meant the tie was on a knife-edge as the teams headed to Merseyside.

Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea

A European night etched indelibly in the mind of every Liverpool fan. Even if you do need reminding, there are no words to describe the way we felt when Luis Garcia's shot floated over the line, nor the sense of dread which overcame each and every one of us in the seconds prior to Eider Gudjohnsen's miss. Pure, unadulterated emotion.




CHELSEA 2007

Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool

Rafa Benitez surprised many by selecting Bolo Zenden on the left of midfield – but the maligned Dutchman was actually one of the better performers on a disappointing night for Liverpool. It took 29 minutes for Jose Mourinho's men to draw first blood when Joe Cole shook off Alvaro Arbeloa's challenge to latch onto a Didier Drogba cross. It could have been worse but for the excellence of Pepe Reina. The key question as the Reds headed home was how they'd stop the seemingly irrepressible Drogba in a week's time.

Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea

Rafa during the Champions League semi-final versus ChelseaA training ground leveller from Daniel Agger on 22 minutes set up one of the most nerve-wracking nights in Kop history. As Anfield did its best to match the atmosphere of two years ago, Peter Crouch, Didier Drogba, Steven Gerrard, John Arne Riise and Dirk Kuyt all came close to a decisive strike. Kuyt actually had a goal wrongly chalked off for offside, but destiny wanted a Champions League semi-final to be decided by penalties for the first time. A year earlier Pepe Reina made a hero of himself in an FA Cup final shootout, and the Spanish stopper did it again in front of a cross-legged Rafa Benitez, saving from Arjen Robben and Geremi before Kuyt netted the crucial spot kick. It was later revealed that, while Reina booked Liverpool's place in Athens, thieves were ransacking his home. No one, however, could ever steal memories like these.