..depressing reading
(The Telegraph - 27th April 2007)
Anfield Fortress is really a castle in the sky
As Liverpool left Stamford Bridge late on Wednesday night after their 1-0 first-leg defeat in the Champions League semi-final, they took collective solace from the conviction that Anfield's red wave of belief will be sufficient to blow Chelsea away in the second leg next Tuesday.
Steven Gerrard, the Liverpool captain, and manager Rafael Benitez both spoke of the atmosphere at their fortress helping to drive Liverpool to the final in Athens. Yet the statistics of recent similar situations suggest otherwise.
The fact is that, on the past five occasions that Liverpool have returned to Anfield attempting to overturn a first-leg deficit, their European aspirations have ended.
Liverpool last overcame a first-leg loss 15 years ago, in the second round of the Uefa Cup against Auxerre, when, after losing 2-0 in France, a penalty by Jan Molby was followed by goals from Mike Marsh and Mark Walters. But, later that season, they failed to reach the semi-finals after losing in the first leg at Genoa.
Gerrard, whose side were the last to beat Chelsea this season, in the Premiership in February, warned: "We have had some special nights at Anfield, and let's hope there is another one next week.
"Chelsea have witnessed the atmosphere at Anfield before and they know we are capable of beating them too, as we have shown in the Premiership already this season.
"We are confident we can hurt them a lot more with that crowd behind us. If we raise the tempo in the first 20 minutes, it will be very interesting. I'm sure we can do it again.
"If any fans can bring the roof down, it's certainly ours. We are aware Chelsea have a slight advantage by keeping a clean sheet, but if any supporters in the world can do it, it's ours."
Such a special night was not forthcoming last season when, after losing 1-0 in the Stadium of Light in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, Benfica won 2-0 at Anfield.
Similarly, in the third round of the Uefa Cup in the 1998-99 season, Liverpool lost 3-1 away to Celta Vigo and were beaten 1-0 at Anfield in the return. Strasbourg, Paris St-Germain and Spartak Moscow have all avoided coming under the red mist at Anfield after winning the first leg at home.
And the last time an English club beat Liverpool at home in the first leg, they went through; in the 1978-79 European Cup, Nottingham Forest began on their ultimately triumphant road to Munich by beating Liverpool 2-0 at the City Ground before holding them to a goalless draw at Anfield.
So, if Liverpool are to reach the final, they need to find the spirit of the Seventies. In 1977, on the way to winning in Rome, they overturned a quarter-final 1-0 defeat in St Etienne with a 3-1 home win. And, a year later, after losing 2-1 in Germany to Borussia Moenchengladbach, they reached the final by winning 3-0.
Liverpool will also call on their experience from two years ago when they drew 0-0 at Stamford Bridge before winning 1-0 at Anfield, though Gerrard warned: "It's a bit different to two years ago because this time Chelsea have the advantage - there's no doubt that result suits them better.
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