Liverpool booked a place in their first European final for 16 years and their ninth in all tonight after edging Spanish giants Barcelona 1-0 in a nervy UEFA Cup semi-final encounter at Anfield.
Gerard Houllier's side, who held the Spaniards to a 0-0 draw in Spain in the first leg, will play Spanish side Alaves in the final on May 16 to beplayed in Dortmund, Germany.
Liverpool won thanks to veteran Scottish playmaker Gary McAllister's penalty a minute before half-time after Dutch striker Patrick Kluivert had handled in the box.
The Merseysiders are on course for a unique treble having won the League Cup and made it through to the final of the FA Cup where they will meet Arsenal.
Houllier retained McAllister in the centre of midfield following his match-winning performance at Everton on Monday.
Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen returned to the starting line-up while Vladimir Smicer was asked to provide the attacking invention behindOwen and Emile Heskey while captain Robbie Fowler was on the bench.
Michael Reiziger returned for Barcelona after injury which meant Sergi and Gabri made way from the first leg.
In the opening quarter of an hour, Liverpool spent more time in Barcelona's half than they had done in the entire first leg at the Nou Camp twoweeks ago.
One moment of magic from Brazil's former world footballer of the year Rivaldo summed up the task in front of Liverpool. From 30 yards out the Brazilian produced a dipping drive which needed a touch from Sander Westerveld to tip it over the bar.
Liverpool's first real chance came when Smicer played in Owen, who forced the ball past Barcelona goalkeeper Jose Reina, but the ball washacked away from the goal by Carlos Puyol.
Barcelona should have taken the lead after 32 minutes when former Arsenal winger Marc Overmars pulled a pass across the box for the unmarkedLuis Enrique to drill inches wide of Westerveld's left-hand post.
A minute before half-time Liverpool made the breakthrough when McAllister's corner was handled by the jumping Kluivert. The referee awarded apenalty and McAllister smashed the ball past Reina from the spot.
Barcelona should have levelled the scores a minute after the interval when Kluivert stormed into the Liverpool penalty area, but rather thancross the ball for the unmarked Enrique he went for goal and fired well wide.
Westerveld almost gifted the visitors an equaliser after 56 minutes when the Dutch keeper miskicked a clearance as Kluivert closed him down.Fortunately for Westerveld the ball ran beyond the Barcelona forward who would have had an open goal to aim at.
Ten minutes later Gerrard picked the ball up midway inside the Barcelona half nad ran towards goal before unleashing a swerving drive whichflashed inches past Reina's right-hand post.
The Spanish visitors were enjoying the majority of the possession as Liverpool tried to protect their lead and Kluivert went close to scoring theall-important away goal but he headed Enrique's cross over the crossbar.
Liverpool were clinging on as the seconds ticking away but they held on to qualify for their first final since 1985. -AFP