Title holders Barcelona were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League as they could only grab a 1-0 victory over Liverpool to bow out on the away-goal rule. Eidur Gudjohnsen struck home but the Catalan giants failed to add the second in order to secure their place in the competition's last eight after losing 2-1 in the first-leg at Nou Camp. Barcelona boss Frank Rijkaard played with an unfamiliar 3-4-3 formation which couldn't help the Catalans break through Liverpool's compact defense. Instead, it was Liverpool who had the upper hand and threatened Barca keeper Victor Valdes on several occasions. John Arne Riise had the first chance for the hosts after eight minutes when his left-footed first-timer went just wide from the edge of the area. Three minutes later, French defender Lilian Thuram, who made a rare start, couldn't prevent Riise from firing a fierce shot that rattled against the bar.
Samuel Eto'o couldn't help and had to be replaced The only chance for Barcelona in the first-half came in the 21st minute through Mexican defender Rafael Marquez, whose header from Deco's free-kick went inches wide of the post. Liverpool almost broke the deadlock five minutes later but Valdes produced a brilliant double-save effort to deny the Reds a deserved lead. Craig Bellamy's shot from a tight angle was parried by Valdes into the path of Dirk Kuyt, whose effort was denied again by the Spaniard and the ball slipped to Riise before the Norwegian winger's header was cleared off the line by Carles Puyol. In the 32nd minute, Valdes's poor clearance was met by Mohamed Sissoko's shot which hit the crossbar. Ronaldinho should have put Barcelona in front eight minutes after re-start when he danced his way through Liverpool defenders before smashing the ball off the post. Substitute Gudjohnsen sparked Barcelona into life in he 75th minute when he latched on to Lionel Messi's through pass before rounding Jose Reina and slotting into the empty net. However, 2005 European champions Liverpool held on to their advantage to book their place in the Champions League quarter-finals.
