From Shankly v Revie to the ‘ghost goal’: all-English European semi-finals

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Photograph: Bob Thomas/Bob Thomas Sports Photography/Getty ImagesLiverpool v Tottenham (agg 2-2, Liverpool win on away goals), Uefa Cup 1972-73It was the battle of the Bills as Liverpool’s Shankly took on Tottenham’s Nicholson. “Then it blew up into flames and it was all hell’s fire at the end.”Chelsea v Liverpool (agg 0-1), Champions League 2004-05“I started thinking: ‘Oh my goodness, maybe it wasn’t,’ but I turned round and saw the referee and the linesman running back into position and just started screaming,” Luis García said of his “ghost goal”.

If anyone thought this was dramatic, there was still the final in Istanbul to come.Chelsea v Liverpool (agg 1-1, pen 1-4), Champions League 2006-07There was a repeat two years later and Chelsea travelled to Anfield with a one-goal advantage, courtesy of Joe Cole. Dirk Kuyt came close to settling the match in normal time but his header bounced back off the bar, and Chelsea’s Didier Drogba missed a fine chance from close range.

In the first leg at Anfield a 95th-minute John Arne Riise own goal cancelled out Dirk Kuyt’s opener to boost Chelsea’s chances and Benítez then helped to fire up Drogba by calling him a diver. Everyone thought the job was done but Ryan Babel made the final moments tense for Chelsea, who lost the final to Manchester United.Liverpool’s Javier Mascherano and Chelsea’s Michael Ballack (right) tussle for the ball at Stamford Bridge in April 2008.