A NAIL-BITING 120 minutes, a tense penalty shoot-out and a victorious homecoming parade . . . there was a sense of déja vu about the Reds' triumphant return to Liverpool yesterday.
But instead of celebrating European glory, the 100,000-plus supporters who lined the streets of the city were there to welcome the club's second piece of silverware in 12 months - the FA Cup.
And even heavy rain wasn't going to put a stop to the partying.
The victorious team, many with their young children, were met in Allerton by the Mayor of Liverpool, Cllr Alan Dean.
The die-hard Blue postponed a lunchtime meeting with the Yemeni ambassador to congratulate the cup holders before they set off on their 10-mile, three-hour tour of the city.
It may have been Liverpool's seventh FA Cup victory, but for the loyal fans who lined the streets, familiarity had not bred contempt. Far from it.
Penalty-save hero Pepe Reina took his place up front on the open-topped bus, together with two-goal Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Robbie Fowler and Sami Hyypia.
Goalscorer Djibril Cisse and Momo Sissoko stood at the back, where they entertained fans with some nifty dance moves.
More than 11 million people saw Saturday's Cup Final win on BBC TV - its largest FA Cup audience since Chelsea beat Middlesbrough 2-0 in 1997.
But it was on the streets of the city that Benitez's boys found their most fanatical following.
