9 December 2009

LIVERPOOL 1 (Benayoun 43)
FIORENTINA 2 (Jorgensen 63, Gilardino 92)

Benayoun headed in a Gerrard free kick. Fiorentina were rewarded for their patient build-up play with the equaliser. Santana dummied a Montolivo centre, Gilardino poked the ball forward to Jorgensen who beat Diego with a low, first time shot into the corner. Vargas out muscled Darby on the left flank before centring for Gilardino to tap in the winner.

Of the Italian sides left in the competition Fiorentina are by far the best equipped. They've got a great coach and a good mix of youth and experience. Their defence can be suspect at times but I imagine that will be addressed in January.

Attendance : 40,863
Assists : Gerrard (fk), Gilardino, Vargas


LYON 4 (Gomis 25, Bastos 45, Pjanic 59, Cissokho 76)
DEBRECEN 0

Pantics spilled a pathetic Govou shot straight into the path of Gomis, 1-0. Bastos doubled Lyon's lead just before the break, angling Pjanic's free kick into the bottom left corner. The magnificently gifted Pjanic pulled clear from a body of players to poke in Bastos' cross. Cissokho cut in from the left and beat Pjanic with a low bouncing drive.

Attendance : 39,743
Assists : n/a, Pjanic, Bastos, Cris


24 November 2009

DEBRECEN 0
LIVERPOOL 1 (Ngog 4)

Ngog's goal was ultimately futile as Fiorentina's victory sent Liverpool out of the Champions League and (hopefully) marked the beginning of the end of Rafa Benitez, truly one of the most odious, manipulative and despicable coaches to plague this sport in recent years.

Attendance : 15,000
Assist : Carragher


FIORENTINA 1 (Vargas 28 Pen)
LYON 0

Santana controlled a cross on his chest before rattling a volley against the post, Lloris denied Gilardino on the rebound with a brilliant save. Gilardino headed against the bar from the resulting corner. Marchionni fell under minimum contact from Cissokho and Vargas smacked home the penalty that sent Fiorentina into the last 16.

Attendance : 30,000
Assists : Marchionni (won pen)


4 November 2009

FIORENTINA 5 (Mutu 14, Dainelli 52, Montolivo 59, Marchionni 61, Gilardino 74)
DEBRECEN 2 (Rudolf 38, Coulibaly 70)

Mutu head in a Marchionni cross but Rudolf levelled when Kroldrup went to sleep on a cross. A second half flurry buried the Hungarians. Dainelli headed the home side back in front after Debrecen goalkeeper Pantic made a feeble jump for a cross. Montolivo arrived unmarked at the back post to volley in a cross intended for Mutu and Marchionni finished off a superb one touch passing move. Fiorentina were again punished for taking their eye off the ball but Gilardino ensured there would be no repeat of the first leg insanity when he headed in a Vargas free kick.

A win for Fiorentina at home to Lyon takes them into the last 16. A draw is enough if Liverpool fail to beat Debrecen.

Attendance : 39,000
Assists : Marchionni, Leandro, Comotto, Vargas, Gilardino, Szakaly, Vargas


LYON 1 (Lisandro 90)
LIVERPOOL 1 (Babel 83)

Liverpool outplayed a desperately disappointing Lyon on their own pitch but had to wait until the 83rd minute to take the lead when substitute Babel hit an absolute crackerjack of a right foot shot past Lloris. In the last minute of normal time Liverpool failed to deal with a bouncing ball and Lisandro pushed away Cris to equalise.

If Fiorentina beat Lyon Liverpool are out otherwise Liverpool need six points and to beat Fiorentina by more than two clear goals at Anfield.

Attendance : 39,180
Assists : Benayoun, Cris


20 October 2009

DEBRECEN 3 (Czvitkovics 2, Rudolf 28, Coulibaly 88)
FIORENTINA 4 (Mutu 6, Gilardino 10, Mutu 20, Santana 37)

Czvitkovics finished off a superb move to give the Hungarians a lead which lasted all of four minutes. Mutu volleyed in the equaliser from a Dainelli centre. Gilardino, back following his ludicrous suspension, tapped in Mutu's centre to give the Italians the lead then returned the favour, Mutu's first time shot crashed in off the right post. Rudolf was surrounded by traffic on the edge of the Fiorentina box, he dribbled past three players then curled a superb right foot shot into the top corner. Santana restored Fiorentina's lead with a tap-in after Mutu forced a save from Poleksic. Coulibaly headed in a free kick but Fiorentina just about held on to claim a priceless three points.

Attendance : 40,000
Assists : Vargas, Dainelli, Mutu, Gilardino, Leandro, n/a, Bodnar (fk)


LIVERPOOL 1 (Benayoun 41)
LYON 2 (Gonalons 72, Delgado 91)

Benayoun tapped in a late first half goal after Lyon failed to clear a centre. Reina flapped at a corner and partially redeemed himself with saves on the follow-up but was eventually beaten by Gonalons. A neat passing move opened up Liverpool down their left flank and Delgado tapped in Govou's centre to increase the pressure on the despicable Benitez.

Attendance : 41,562
Assists : n/a, n/a, Govou


29 September 2009

FIORENTINA 2 (Jovetic 28, Jovetic 37)
LIVERPOOL 0

Benayoun lost possession in midfield and Fiorentina's attempt to break quickly appeared to end when Marchionni overran the ball however Zanetti beat Lucas to a 50-50 ball before threading a pass between two Liverpool defenders and as they appealed for offside Jovetic waltzed into the box before shooting wide of Reina. Less then 10 minutes later his first time shot from a Vargas centre beat Reina at his near post.

Attendance : 33,426
Assists : Zanetti, Vargas


DEBRECEN 0
LYON 4 (Kallstrom 3, Pjanic 13 fk, Czvitkovics 24 og, Gomis 51)

Kallstrom volleyed Lyon into the lead from a corner. Lyon's highly rated teenage midfielder Pjanic double their lead with a superb free kick. Czvitkovics deflected in the Bosnian's corner and Gomis completed the rout after chasing down a longball, rounding Poleksic and lobbing into an empty net.

Attendance : 9,000
Assists : Pjanic, Govou (won fk), n/a, Kallstrom


16 September 2009

LIVERPOOL 1 (Kuyt 46)
DEBRECEN 0

Attendance : 41,591
Assists : n/a


LYON 1 (Pjanic 76)
FIORENTINA 0

Attendance : 39,286
Red Card : Gilardino 45 (Fiorentina)
Assist : n/a