CL Report: Liverpool Stun Ragged Barca
Liverpool are the only English team to have beaten Barcelona at Camp Nou in European competition - and they added to that historic 1976 victory with another win in Catalonia tonight.
The Merseysiders came from behind to inflict a 2-1 defeat on the reigning European champions. And, as if a fiction writer was responsible for the script, Liverpool's two scorers were Craig Bellamy and John Arne Riise, the alleged villains of the Portuguese fiasco.
Rafael Benitez had got his tactics spot on, although for the first 20 minutes or so, Barcelona looked ominously in the mood. And in the 13th minute, Zambrotta broke on the left-wing and sent over an inch-perfect cross which Deco, having run untracked from midfield, embarrassed Riise with a powerful low header at the far post.
But if Barca thought that was their entry into the comfort zone, Liverpool had other ideas. Their character was revealed as they kept their composure and their bheads up, and got back into the game.
Yet their equaliser, two minutes before the break, came right out of the blue. Belletti was exposed as Bellamy met a deep free-kick at the back post with another low header. It was straight at Victor Valdes, but the keeper was behind his line and so, momentarily but decisively, was the ball. He scooped it out, but only to Dirk Kuyt, who smashed it back into the net. But the goal was clearly Bellamy's - and of course he celebrated by swinging an imaginary golf club.
It was a perfect time to score, and the second half was a story of growing Liverpool confidence and unravelling Barca influence. Sissoko was immense for Liverpool in midfield, a lion - and Rijkaard's substitutions failed to spark Barca back into life.
The decisive moment came on 74 minutes when Valdes blocked Kuyt's effort, the ball ballooned up and Marquez could only head it to Bellamy, who spotted the unmarked Riise square to him on the other side of the area. The Norwegian lashed it unstoppably into the roof of the net to stun Barca.
Saviola had an immediate chance to equalise but was thwarted by Reina's block, and Messi spooned the loose ball over. Ronaldinho was too often peripheral for Barca, while Liverpool worked prodigiously to close him and his colleagues down whenever danger threatened.
So Liverpool earned another famous victory at Camp Nou - and Barca now have a real problem to solve at Anfield in two weeks' time.
GL