Liverpool's bonfire of the penalties in Lisbon
So who was it who said that, after their consistent involvement in the Champions League in Rafael Benitez’s six seasons in charge, that Liverpool’s participation in the Europa League would be dull?
A white-hot night in Lisbon, three goals (one of them a sublime back-heeled effort from a central defender), two penalties, one sending off, an eccentric millionaire of a Swedish referee and more firecrackers than on your average Guy Fawkes night later, and the entertainment was in plentiful supply.
A 2-1 away defeat to Benfica would not have been considered disastrous even before kick-off in the Estádio da Luz last night, but circumstances dictated that the result was one of the more frustrating of the Reds’ season. Benfica’s impressive home translates as “The Stadium of Light”, and the last time Liverpool visited one of those they were beaten by a beach ball. This time there was an entirely different kind of deflation.
The Reds started very well. Daniel Agger’s clever flick from Steven Gerrard’s expertly placed free-kick may still prove to be the defining moment of the tie, as it is down to Liverpool’s excellent defending with 10 men that the 31st minute sending off of Ryan Babel has not got that title this morning.
According to referee Jonas Eriksson – who can boast a £6million fortune due to the sale of a media company in his native Sweden, and so who could probably do without the fuss of overseeing a football match in front of 60,000 baying folk from Lisbon – putting your hand over someone’s mouth is a greater example of “violent conduct” than a short, sharp kick through the back of a player which gets nowhere near the ball.
Perhaps he – and Uefa, for it is they that make the rules – are right. Maybe Luisão has a particularly sensitive chin, or maybe the referee is a firm believer in freedom of speech and so objected to Babel’s attempts at quietening the Brazilian defender, but surely the official and his phalanx of assistants will be embarrassed when they witness the two incidents – Luisão’s crunching tackle from behind on Fernando Torres and Babel’s fairly tame reaction.
The Dutchman was foolish to raise his hands, but common sense would dictate that the difference in the severity of contact between he and Luisão and Luisão and Torres shows that the system is flawed, and it appeared to unsettle the referee for the rest of the game, as the Swede constantly looked to his other available officials – of which there are four in the Europa League – before making decisions. In truth it was probably for the best. If his decision to book Pepe Reina for wasting a massive six seconds of time was anything to go by, he needed all the help he could get.
Two of those aided decisions arrived in the form of second-half penalties for Benfica, which – due to their constant appeals – they were almost certain to get by the law of averages as much as anything. Both were converted by the previously inept Óscar Cardozo, who managed to keep his cool amid the distractions of a multitude of firecrackers going off behind Reina’s goal, one of which nearly deafened an official. Sanctions must surely follow.
A defeat for the Reds then, but hardly an overly damaging one. Except perhaps to the eardrums.
Just like Manchester United will be when they face Bayern Munich in their European second leg, Liverpool will be confident at just 2-1 down (although apparently United’s striker was injured on Tuesday, not that much has been said about it).
Anfield will be rocking for next week’s clash, and there is no reason why the Reds cannot overturn their deficit just like they did against Lille in the last round.
The oddities of Lisbon need not be fatal to Liverpool’s Europa League hopes, but the lack of a bizarre Scandinavian official, explosions from the stands and questionable red cards at Anfield in six days time would be welcomed with open arms.
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