ON his first day at Melwood last July, Rafael Benitez talked excitedly to the Echo about the job ahead and declared with that now familiar twinkle: "Maybe we have a surprise for the supporters."
How wrong he was. Because the Madrid-born Liverpool manager has instead pulled off a near miracle, leading the Reds to the edge of heaven in his first season and a surreal European Cup Final appearance which has rolled back the years and brought Anfield back to glorious, drama-filled life.
What happened in the famous old stadium last night was the stuff of supporters' dreams. The place rocked to the rafters, perhaps like never before.
For the fathers, grandfathers and uncles who have drilled into their offspring the triumphal memories of days gone by, demanding they pick up the Anfield mantle and still believe, this was a sweet, cathartic moment.
The youngsters - even the not so young - who never tasted Liverpool's glory days and who look up to their Anfield elders with as much frustration as hope, now truly understand where all this comes from. And comprehend why, even in these changing footballing times, those supporters still expect so much from Liverpool Football Club.
Much was made before the game about the cauldron that would be generated by Kopites. So much so, someone joked you could get 10-1 at the bookies for the atmosphere to score the first goal.
But those incredible fans proved it was anything but hype. They burst their lungs in support of the team, leaving the Chelsea faithful dumbfounded with fear and tension. And when that tension threatened to silence the Kop too, enough of them summoned up their voices one more time to break its curse and drive the players on again.
Orchestrating it all with a passion and a focus which demanded to be heard with every ball kicked was Benitez.
What a masterstroke it was for Rick Parry and David Moores to hunt down their man and bring him to Liverpool last summer. They've been through a lot over the past 12 months but deserve enormous credit for that act alone.
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