Chelsea 4-4 Liverpool: Blues triumph in Champions League classic.

Don’t ever try to explain this, don't even think about working it out.

Just sit back, reflect, remember – and imagine what Guus Hiddink and Rafa Benitez went through.

Liverpool came within a hair's breadth of pulling off a Champions League feat to arguably surpass the miracle of Istanbul.

After 180 unbelievable minutes in which the tie swung through 360 degrees and back again, it was not until Frank Lampard swept home in stoppage time that Chelsea could finally celebrate their semi-final place.

A tie which seemed dead and buried before kick-off underwent a resurrection that will never be forgotten whatever happens in the rest of the tournament.

Even when Lampard appeared to have completed a terrific comeback by putting Chelsea ahead on the night after Liverpool had done all the hard work in the first half, there was another dramatic shift.

Liverpool, who had started without Steven Gerrard, had also seen Fernando Torres depart as Benitez appeared to be accepting the inevitable.

But Lucas' deflected strike and Dirk Kuyt's header meant that for eight panic-stricken minutes, Chelsea were another Petr Cech nightmare away from going out, before Lampard finally brought order amid the chaos. No wonder Hiddink will go back to Russia at the end of next month, for his nerves will surely be shot to pieces by the end of the season.

There have more forgettable games between these fierce rivals than memorable European nights at the Bridge.

All of those were consigned to the back-burner, however, as every possible emotion, twist and turn was played out on an evening of sheer delight.

Liverpool headed back to Merseyside knowing – as they had always expected – that their season will be defined by whether or not they end that 19-year title drought rather than their Champions League exploits.

But after 45 minutes in which they had simply played Chelsea off the park, Liverpool must have been dreaming of the greatest triumph of all.

Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso bossed the midfield as Chelsea's advantage was reduced to the extra away goal by the break.

No question who was the guilty party either. Cech had a shocker against Bolton on Saturday but could hardly have believed he would have a worse display in a far bigger game. It could have been fatal, with Cech not even close to a touch as Fabio Aurelio spotted him lining up for a back-post free-kick from way out on the Chelsea left and simply drilled in at the near corner.

When Spanish referee spotted Branislav Ivanovic mugging Alonso from another Aurelio delivery, the Spaniard got up to smash home from the spot and Cech then got away with another shocker as the ball flew across the Blues box.

Hiddink had scapegoated Salomon Kalou before the break, sending on Nicolas Anelka, whose rapier thrust down the right saw Didier Drogba nudging past the wrong-footed Pepe Reina.

The pressure off, a thunderbolt 35-yard free-kick from Alex levelled on the night and the turnaround seemed complete when Drogba set up Lampard to stab home.

How wrong we all were. First Lucas's shot deflected off Michael Essien, before Albert Riera picked out the unmarked Dirk Kuyt inside the box.

Liverpool were just one goal away as the fans inside the Bridge shredded their nails, but it was Lampard, off both posts, who scored the decisive goal.

A fitting way to end it for Hiddink and Chelsea, yet Barcelona will be licking their lips at the thought of Chelsea's defence in the semi-finals.

For now, though, we should all revel in a truly sensational night.

Source:www.mirror.co.uk