Liverpool eliminated Manchester City from the UEFA Champions League to send them into their fourth Champions League semi-final since the tournament was rebranded from the European Cup. Interestingly, Liverpool’s semi-final clash with AS Roma will be their first ever Champions League semi-final not to be played against Chelsea. Let’s take a look back at Liverpool’s record in the Champions League semi-finals.
2005 – Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool, Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea (Liverpool win 1-0 on aggregate)
Perhaps one of the most infamous Champions League semi-finals in history. Did that Garcia goal cross the line or did Gallas get to it first? Would Cech have been sent off if a goal hadn’t have been given? How could the game have changed if the referee hadn’t have given such a dubious goal? We will never know the answers to these questions, but Liverpool edged out Chelsea through Garcia’s “ghost goal” after 2 incredibly tightly fought games. Liverpool would go on to face AC Milan in Istanbul in the final – and would win the tournament on penalties after coming back from 3-0 down to draw 3-3.
2007 – Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool, Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea (1-1 on aggregate, Liverpool win 4-1 on penalties)
An even more closely fought tie than the previous one 2 years prior. Chelsea won the first leg at Stamford Bridge thanks to a goal from Joe Cole, but Liverpool overturned the deficit at Anfield thanks to a smartly worked free kick finding Daniel Agger who finished brilliantly into the bottom corner. Pepe Reina saved penalties from both Arjen Robben and Geremi in the shoot-out to give Liverpool the advantage, and Dirk Kuyt scored the all important penalty to send Liverpool to the final. Liverpool would once again face AC Milan but fell to a 2-1 defeat in Athens, unable to repeat their heroics of 2 years prior.
2008 – Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea, Chelsea 3-2 Liverpool (After Extra Time) (Chelsea win 4-3 on aggregate)
Liverpool looked set to be taking a lead to Stamford Bridge in the dying moments of their first leg at Anfield, thanks to a Dirk Kuyt goal in the first half. However, with just seconds remaining a Salomon Kalou cross was diverted into the Liverpool net by John Arne Riise, the own goal giving Chelsea a vital away goal. However, back at Stamford Bridge, despite Chelsea taking a first half lead through Drogba, Torres scored on the hour mark to send the game into extra time. The extra time ended up being a step too far for Liverpool though as a Frank Lampard penalty and a second goal from Didier Drogba in the first period of extra time was enough for Chelsea. Ryan Babel scored a stunning consolation late in extra time but it was too little, too late.
By Nathan Williamson
Nostalgia Trip 
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