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#4 Chelsea 4-4 Liverpool (Agg 7-4), Quarterfinal 2nd leg 2008/09
Just one of many meetings between the two during Rafa Benitez’s reign as Liverpool boss. Chelsea and Liverpool seemed destined to battle it out almost every year in the Champions League, but this was easily one of the best between the two.
Chelsea went into the game 3-1 up on aggregate and seemingly had the tie won – the reds would have to win by at least two clear goals at Stamford Bridge. At the time that was deemed a near-impossible dream.
Liverpool scored early when Fabio Aurelio caught Petr Cech at his near post with a smart free-kick and looked to have another memorable European night by halftime after Xabi Alonso’s penalty put the reds close to the semi-finals.
Their joy didn’t last long, however, as Chelsea roared back in the second half with two goals in just six minutes. Didier Drogba snuck a touch in at the near post to bamboozle Pepe Reina before Alex slammed home a thunderous free-kick to level the tie.
Drogba was the source of further misery for Liverpool as he found Frank Lampard in the box who completed the Chelsea come back. Liverpool were down but by no means out as Lucas Leiva equalised with a deflected strike late on, followed quickly by a Dirk Kuyt header.
Chelsea fans were running out of nails to bite as Liverpool had once again defied the odds and were within one late goal of knocking the Londoners out.
Frank Lampard secured Chelsea’s semi-final place in the dying moments though, as he beautifully curled an effort past a helpless Pepe Reina to end their run of European exists to Liverpool.
Out of the many clashes between the two sides, this is easily one of the best and most dramatic.
