Earlier today, I wrote about how Liverpool had a mountain to climb to win against Inter Milan on aggregate. Sure, they had the aggregate lead going into the game, but they faced an all-star team of some of the best players in the world as well as playing inside the cauldron of the Giuseppe Meazza.

Liverpool answered the critics, myself included, with a historic performance tonight. Sure, Inter Milan was woeful yet again, but the red half of Merseyside performed according to Rafa Benitez’s script.

The difference for Liverpool was one Fernando Torres who scored an exquisite goal. Controlling a pass with one touch, he twisted his body around and with his second touch volleyed the ball into the corner of the net. This was a perfect example of a striker’s goal. An example of pure class. Imagine how much better Liverpool could perform in the Premier League with a couple more players like him on their side.

Congratulations to Liverpool and manager Rafa Benitez on a confident performance, putting them into the quarter-finals of the Champions League. For the first time in the history of the tournament, four teams from one country are in the final eight.