the BEST nite ever!!!

LIVERPOOL have been trapped beneath the weight of their own glorious history for 20 years. Last night, with one of the most derided teams of an anguished generation and the guidance of the remarkable Rafael Benitez, they broke free.

A new Anfield era has begun. For over 20 minutes after the end of one of the most exhilarating and exhausting of European nights delirious Liverpool supporters - with the exception of FA chief Brian Barwick - embraced a momentous Champions League semi-final over Chelsea. Gerrard was last to leave the field after absorbing a truly special moment in the centre circle and illustrating just how much more this meant to Liverpool than their nouveau riche rivals. The other prize on offer last night is also Liverpool's.Luis Garcia's debatable opener after just 205 seconds finally gave Liverpool the scalp of Jose Mourinho this season. But it has given them more than that, it has given them their pride and place at the forefront of European football back.

Fifth in the Premiership and 33 points behind title winners Chelsea; even Benitez would be tempted and entitled to ask how this can be so. Fate, fairytale, whatever, Liverpool are in the European Cup final. A Liverpool of Traore,Biscan and Nunez, maligned throughout their Anfield careers, and a Liverpool of Jamie Carragher, Gerrard and John Arne Riise, saluted throughout theirs, will take to the greatest club stage in Istanbul on May 25.

This is a Liverpool team that contains as many contrasts in its starting XI as it displays week in, week out in the Premiership but on the most demanding, glorious occasion of all they came together to shatter Chelsea's dream of a treble. Fifty years they have waited for the title and Liverpool have spoilt the party after only three days. And the delightful irony did not end there. Liverpool's relentless rearguard action after Garcia's decisive strike would have counted for nothing if Eidur Gudjohnsen had converted Chelsea's only real chance of the night with the final kick of the game.

But the man whose tumble deprived Xabi Alonso of a place in this memorable fixture blazed wide and Chelsea were out. Liverpool, and Alonso, are not. If European conquest made the modern Liverpool then two decades without it had built up a head of steam that, when released through the cries of every fan inside Anfield, the new English champions Chelsea were powerless to contain.

Anfield had surpassed the noise level of Stamford Bridge half an hour before kick-off, when Frank Lampard was seen appealing for the away section to make themselves heard and the Kop was only a quarter full. Packed, it proved an awesome 12th man and an awesome sight - even Roman Abramovich applauded.Money may be no object to Chelsea thanks to Russian oil, but the rich European history and the sheer force of will behind Liverpool were priceless commodities they could never overcome.

While Anfield needed no incentive to surpass the atmosphere that froze Juventus the luxury of an early goal would really seize on any opposition insecurities. And just like the quarter-finals Liverpool sent the stadium into a frenzy with an opener from their first attack. Riise ghosted inside Lampard on the left and found Gerrard who, with the outside of his boot, flicked Milan Baros through on goal. The striker lofted the ball at full stretch over Czech mate Petr Cech but was sent crashing to the floor by the on-rushing keeper for a blatant penalty. Fortunately for Liverpool and Cech, who would have been dismissed had the offence stood, Garcia remained alert enough to scuff the ball a few extra yards over the line despite the efforts of William Gallas, or so referee Lubos Michel thought and that is all that mattered. Countless TV replays failed to prove whether a goal had been scored or not but Michel was perfectly placed and had no hesitation in awarding the crucial breakthrough. Chelsea, who would have gone out against Barcelona but for Ricardo Carvalho's sly pull on the goalkeeper, surely cannot complain?

The ear-drums were now in pain, although the clearest effect of the stunning start was to demand more urgency from Chelsea, a situation they were far from comfortable with. The longer Chelsea kept possession the louder the whistles nad boo-ing. By every fourth or fifth pass they were so consumed by tension the final ball was almost always atrocious.

As in the first leg Carragher and Hyypia made a mockery of Didier Drogba's 24m price-tag while Lampard was closed down the second he thought about a trademark shot from distance. And with no width in the Chelsea side the strength of Liverpool's spine handled the direct route with ease. Clearly irked by his team's inability to stretch Liverpool Mourinho ordered both of his full-backs, Geremi and Gallas, to hug the touchlines in the second half. But still his team tried to play deft flicks through the middle at every attempt, and with Hamann keeping his defence company there was no way past the five-man guard.

It took a blistering free-kick from Lampard to breach the Liverpool pack for the first time in the 66th minute. It was also the first time in the tie Dudek had been called upon to make a save, and he responded by tipping the ball wide with his finger-tips. Five goals against Spanish champions-elect Barcelona, six past German champions Bayern Munich and one shot on target against Liverpool - the Chelsea statistics that reveal the resilience they faced throughout this semi-final. Genuine moments of worry were few and far between for Liverpool, but that does not tell the story of a nerve-wracking second half spent mostly on the back foot.

The introduction of Djibril Cisse and Harry Kewell in an attempt to stretch the game only eased the pressure in flashes. Riise was outstanding up and down the left but it was Carragher who reprised his role at Stamford Bridge to deny Drogba and Arjen Robben with two crucial interceptions as Chelsea searched in vain for the equaliser to take them through.

Drogba, Liverpool's nemesis in the UEFA Cup last season, should have broken Anfield hearts when he met Robben's cross with a free header at the near post in the 83rd minute. But from the same place he struck against Bayern Munich he sent a tame effort bouncing wide. Liverpool's extra forwards offered a valuable outlet in the desperate closing stages and Cisse was twice close to completing his own personal miracle with a deflected shot in the final minute and a stoppage time effort saved by Cech.

But the heroes remained at the back. Gerrard, Finnan and Traore all threw their tired bodies in the way of hit-and-hopes from Chelsea before the fourth official sent Benitez apoplectic by signalling an unbelievable six minutes of added-on time. It must have been that Russian watch he was using.

The only Chelsea chance, inevitably, fell to Gudjohnsen in the final seconds after a goalmouth melee but he squandered a glorious chance to add insult to injury by shooting across an inviting goal. Michel eventually signalled the end of one enthralling spectacle and the start of another as every Liverpool fan stood their ground to celebrate long and loud.

Alonso raced to the front of the directors' box to join the party only to find his way blocked by adoring fans, but appeared on the pitch seconds later following a sprint up the tunnel. Michael Owen beamed a smile as he walked across the Anfield pitch long after the hordes had cleared, although his bemusement at what has happened in his absence must be greater than anyone's.

Benitez started last night with only one of his own signings. Imagine what he will do with perfect English and his own squad on board? Until last night the story of the season against Chelsea read three painful defeats and one encouraging goalless draw for Liverpool. Now they have the first, the last and the win that means everything. AC Milan won yesterday and will meet Benitez's side on May 25. Frankly, Liverpool will still be too busy celebrating to notice.