Reds hammer Real

12 April 2012

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.

Iker Casillas was forced into two world-class saves in the opening minutes. Torres, back after an ankle injury, had already embarked on one surging run into the box, before he dumbfounded Fabio Cannavaro with a brilliant turn to control a Gerrard pass, only for Casillas to save with his right foot.

Ryan Babel and Javier Mascherano both had shots deflected wide before Casillas rescued Madrid again, stretching to his left to touch a Mascherano 20-yard effort onto the bar and over.

After 16 minutes Liverpool were ahead. Jamie Carragher's long ball had Real on the turn with Torres and Dirk Kuyt baring down on Pepe. Torres looked to nudge Pepe from behind, and the Portuguese defender fell, leaving Kuyt to square the ball for Torres to beat Casillas from six yards, only his second goal against Real having managed just one against them for Atletico.

Gerrard was booked for a foul on Sergio Ramos before more misfortune befell Madrid. A linesman's flag signalled to referee Frank De Bleeckere after 27 minutes that Heinze had handled in the box. Replays showed the ball hit the former Manchester United man on the shoulder, and he was booked for making his point. But Gerrard was nerveless, driving home the spot-kick.

Any plans for a Real fightback were destroyed just 65 seconds into the second period. Babel got away on the left and laid the ball back for Gerrard to volley superbly high into the net with Casillas helpless.

Real were in pieces, and had it not again been for Casillas - punching the ball away to his right - Gerrard would have had another after 54 minutes.

With three minutes to go Dossena appeared in the box to fire home the fourth goal of the night after a fine build-up involving Babel and Mascherano.

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