Rafa Benitez's men won at the Nou Camp, the San Siro and then at another great footballing cathedral that is the Santiago Bernabeu in consecutive seasons.

After 82 minutes, with the score goalless in Madrid, Fabio Aurelio curled in a free-kick which Yossi Benayoun nodded home to send the travelling fans wild.

If the supporters enjoyed that result, even better was to come in the return leg of the Champions League knockout tie.