Rafael Benitez's nightmare lead up to Liverpool taking on Barcelona in their Champions League last 16 first leg clash turned into a fairytale on Wednesday as they celebrated a famous 2-1 victory over the Champions League holders.
PARIS: Rafael Benitez's nightmare lead up to Liverpool taking on Barcelona in their Champions League last 16 first leg clash turned into a fairytale on Wednesday as they celebrated a famous 2-1 victory over the Champions League holders.
Having promised that any player found guilty of bad behaviour at last week's training camp in Portugal would be punished it was the two at the centre of the storm Craig Bellamy and John Arne Riise -- who allegedly was beaten with a golf club by Bellamy -- who answered in the best possible fashion as they scored the goals.
Benitez' former club Valencia produced a memorable result in coming from behind twice to draw 2-2 away with Inter Milan that gives the Spaniards a real chance of avenging three defeats in European competition including a quarterfinal loss in the 2002/03 Champions League.
Benitez' fierce Premiership rival, Chelsea's Jose Mourinho, came away with honours shared against his former club Porto as the English champions came from behind through a rare strike by Andriy Shevchenko to draw 1-1 -- though the injury to centreback and inspirational captain John Terry rather diluted their joy.
The night's other match saw former Liverpool handler Gerard Houllier's Lyon maintain their unbeaten record in this season's competition as they were held 0-0 by AS Roma in Rome -- however a drab match will be remembered more for referee Mike Riley wielding the yellow card 11 times, a record in the Champions League.
Bellamy, no stranger to making as many headlines on the front pages of the tabloid press as on the back ones down the years, celebrated his goal in somewhat cheeky fashion by imitating a golf swing which Benitez claimed not to have seen.
"I take the rough with the smooth and it's not the first time it has happened," said the Welshman, who was referring to the latest bout of headlines.
"Because it's me it is built up bigger than it is. It (the victory is even more special because it is my boy's 10th birthday," added Bellamy, who in a delicious twist set Riise up for his goal.
While Valencia may think they too have the upper hand as they take Inter back with two crucial away goals in their pockets, that was not the attitude of the Italian club's coach Roberto Mancini.
"I am sure we will go to Valencia and win. The good thing about tonight's result is we know what we have to do in Spain," said the former Italy international striker, whose side has all but secured the Serie A title with 16 wins in a row.
Mourinho too will fancy his chances at finishing the job in a fortnight over Porto, who the charismatic handler admitted in a rare concession to any of his opponents made him proud to be Portuguese in the way they played.
However he admitted that the injury to Terry had probably affected the outcome of the match.
"We had to change the system completely because we lost a lot of things when John Terry went off," said Mourinho.
"Michael Essien had to play central defence because we didn't have another option and as he is the heartbeat of the midfield that unbalanced us in terms of service.
"I think we scored a great goal and then we had to change everything at half-time again when Arjen Robben suffered a muscle injury and the circumstances were difficult.
"We got a draw and that is a good result."
Houllier too admitted that he was happy to have come away with a draw, though, he added that a similar result to Mourinho's would have been preferable.
However while the former France national coach thought that the match had not been as violent to merit 11 bookings he did have some reservations.
"It did cross my mind that there was a contract out on Juninho (Lyon's Brazilian playmaker) early on."
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