FANTASTIC, outstanding, a credit to the game, a message to the whole of football masterminded by a manager who proved what a genius he is.Boss Rafa Benitez had complained Liverpool have not been given sufficient credit for their exploits in Europe during his 4½-year reign.
But they earned full marks for a comprehensive destruction of the nine-times European champions which earned a place in the last eight of the Champions LeagueReal could point to the fact that Belgian referee Frank De Bleeckere might as well have had a red shirt on because of a couple of dodgy decisions which led to Liverpool’s first two goals.
But, such was the home side’s superiority, they would surely have won anyway.
Spanish ace Fernando Torres, back from an ankle injury, was unstoppable in the first half and netted a controversial 16th-minute opener after he appeared to pull back Real defender Pepe.
Steven Gerrard added a 27th-minute penalty when former Manchester United defender Gabriel Heinze was wrongly adjudged to have handled.
Gerrard slammed in the third on 48 minutes before sub Andrea Dossena completed the rout a couple of minutes from time.
Real’s former Spurs boss Juande Ramos accused Liverpool of negative tactics in the first leg, claiming they were lucky to nick a one-goal lead from Yossi BenayounThat got right up Rafa’s nose and there was nothing dull or negative about the Reds as they absolutely blitzed Real.
When Liverpool play like this you wonder why on earth they do not put in a stronger challenge for the Premier League title.
Europe turns them on like no other competition and, from the first whistle, the Reds were at it as they chased a fourth quarter-final appearance in five years.
Torres suffered for years at the hands of Real when he was with Atletico Madrid and was never on the winning side. But he got all his frustrations out here.
With the game four minutes old Torres brilliantly turned Fabio Cannavaro, leaving him one-on-one with Spain team-mate Iker Casillas.
He aimed for the corner but Casillas stretched out a boot and deflected it away. The keeper then tipped a Javier Mascherano volley on to the bar.
Liverpool were playing so well even the notoriously hard-to-please Benitez must have been satisfied. Not that you would have known. He looked as grumpy as ever.
The determination was illustrated by Torres when he ran back fully 40 yards to whip the ball off Sergio Ramos.
The crowd responded as they always do on these great European nights and Liverpool took the lead, albeit it in debatable fashion.
Torres chested down a through ball and, as he tussled with Pepe, pulled the defender back by the shoulder. Dirk Kuyt collected and passed into the six-yard box and Torres finished.
It was no more than Liverpool deserved but you could understand why Real felt aggrieved.
That said they were hardly performing to the standard expected from one of the game’s most illustrious names. Real were second to every ball and they could not handle Torres.
After Martin Skrtel had a header saved by Casillas, Torres was off again.
This time it did not even matter he fell over because he recovered to skip away and cross deep, where Gerrard stretched to connect with a volley which Casillas blocked.
If Real were aggrieved about the first goal they were positively apoplectic about the second. Alvaro Arbeloa popped up on the right to chest a ball into the area and it hit Heinze on the shoulder.
De Bleeckere pointed for a penalty, to the fury of Real, and Heinze was booked for dissent. Gerrard buried the spot-kick.
A frustrated Heinze got the hump with Torres and, after the striker caught the Argy on the ankle, Heinze flicked out a right arm which got his opponent in the face. However, the referee did not spot it.
A perfect first half by Liverpool was spoiled when Mascherano was stupidly booked for dissent which means he is out of the first leg of the quarter-final.
Liverpool put the tie beyond doubt three minutes after the break. Fabio Aurelio fed Ryan Babel on the left and his cross fell to Gerrard, who smashed home a volley.
Torres was denied before Dossena got the fourth when he converted a Mascherano cross.
