Listen - Champions League Semi-Final 2nd Leg: Chelsea (4) 3-2 (3) Liverpool - Benitez defiant in defeat

Listen to Rafa Benitez's reaction to Liverpool's Champions League exit

It wasn't to be for Liverpool in the Champions League this season. After 2 final appearances in the three seasons prior, Rafa Benitez was hoping to make it 3 in 4. Alas, despite controlling large parts of the second half, Liverpool couldn't turn their superiority into that crucial goal.

The start of the match wasn't the greatest for the visitors, who had not scored at Stamford Bridge in their previous 8 attempts. With all the pre-match hype surrounding Benitez's comments on Didier Drogba's theatrics, it was the Ivorian who had the first real opportunity of the match, side footing wide after some fantastic build up play.

But he was not to be denied, slamming home after Pepe Reina parried Kalou's shot to give the home side a bit of breathing room. In truth, not much had changed - goal or not, Liverpool were behind still on away goals and still needed to score or they were out.

The second half though was different, with the Merseysider's controlling the play and just past the hour mark that long, overdue goal finally arrived through, who else, Fernando Torres. The Spaniard sliding the ball past Petr Cech after a lovely, jinking run from Yossi Benayoun.

For the rest of the 90 minutes it was them on top, with Chelsea failing to find any of the rhythm they had in the opening period.

And so on to extra time, with Liverpool having the momentum there was always a feeling that their failure to capitalise was going to cost them. With just 3 minutes into the added period, it was the home side who thought they were ahead after Michael Essien smashed home from the edge of the box, only for the linesman to raise his flag for offside.

But Sami Hyypia handed the Blues' a reprieve just a couple of moments later when he felled Michael Ballack inside the box. Frank Lampard stepped up for an emotional spot kick just days after his mother passed away from pneumonia. Surprisingly, with the five-time European Cup champions behind, Benitez opted to remove top scorer Torres from the field and bring on Ryan Babel.

Just before half-time in extra time Chelsea doubled their lead, Drogba again sweeping the ball past Reina following excellent work by substitute Nicolas Anelka. It seemed as if that was that but Liverpool pushed forward and had valid claims for a penalty eventually waved away by the referee when Hyypia's foot work seemed to end when Drogba brought him down. The match official momentarily seemed to put his whistle to mouth before changing his mind.

But it was not over yet - a compelling match was made just that little bit more interesting when Ryan Babel's speculative 30 yard shot was misjudged by Cech to make it 3-2 on the night. There were just minutes left but one more goal for the visitors and it would have been enough to take them to Moscow.

However, it was not to be and Benitez admitted he felt nothing but pride for his players after a superb effort, and revealed the withdrawal of Torres was due to injury.

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