Champions League review: Two goals from Steven Gerrard and one each from Fernando Torres and Andrea Dossena gave Liverpool a 4-0 victory at home to Real Madrid - and a 5-0 aggregate win - to book their place in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Torres fired home from close range in the 16th minute before the captain converted a penalty 12 minutes later after Gabriel Heinze had controversially been adjudged to have handled.
Gerrard made the game safe two minutes after half-time when he converted Ryan Babel's left-wing cross and substitute Dossena added a fourth a minute from time.
Had it not been for an outstanding display from Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas, Liverpool would have had a hatful in that first 45 minutes alone.
If Rafael Benitez feels he does not get enough respect for his Champions League achievements at Anfield, this fourth appearance in the last eight in five years will go a long way to gaining him the credit he craves.
Speaking after the game, Gerrard hailed the team effort.
“The most important thing for me was to win the game and book our place in the last eight and it was a fantastic team performance,” he told ITV. “You’ve got to give a special mention to Yossi Benayoun who was fantastic in the first leg and unfortunately missed out tonight.”
Torres added: “I was working all week to try to be fit. This game was very important for me to play (because of) my past with Atletico.
“(My goal) was very important, of course. It was a massive game for the fans.”
Liverpool must now turn their attention to the weekend clash with Barclays Premier League leaders Manchester United.
Gerrard said: “Firstly it’s all about enjoying tonight. We need to get some rest then we can concentrate on Man United tomorrow.
“They’re a fantastic team but we’ll give it our best shot.”
Chelsea twice came from a goal down to knock out Claudio Ranieri's Juventus. Vincenzo Iaquinta fired the Italians ahead before Michael Essien, making his first start since August, equalised in first-half stoppage time.
Juve had Giorgio Chiellini sent off for a second yellow card with 20 minutes remaining. They were given hope when Alessandro del Piero converted a 74th-minute penalty but Didier Drogba, who hit the only goal of the first leg, put the contest beyond their reach seven minutes from time.
With only a slim advantage from the first leg, Drogba admitted Chelsea’s tactics were uncertain until Iaquinta made things clearer.
“We didn’t really know what to do, if we should attack or not, so we played counter-attacking football,” he told ITV. “When they scored, we decided to play our game so I think it was a good thing they scored.
“You always want to start out to win the game, but at some point it was difficult to take a decision and I think the goal really helped us.”
After Essien levelled, Juve were given a lifeline when the referee awarded a penalty for a handball by Juliano Belletti that brought fierce protests from the Chelsea players.
“I think (the referee) was right but he didn’t know who touched the ball so that’s why there was a little trouble in the box,” Drogba said.
Having netted five past a hapless Sporting defence in Lisbon, Bayern needed just eight minutes to breach their Portuguese opponents again through Lukas Podolski. Podolski again and an own goal from Anderson Polga made it 3-0 before the Portuguese side got one back through Joao Moutinho.
Bayern refused to step off the gas, though, as Bastian Schweinsteiger hit a fourth before halftime and Mark van Bommel, Miroslav Klose and Thomas Mueller added further goals for a farcical 12-1 aggregate scoreline.
Villarreal's Argentine playmaker Ariel Ibagaza scored the opening goal and created his side's second against Greece's Panathinaikos, who had equalised through Vangelis Mantzios.
