Jubilant Benitez hails great win for Liverpool

Liverpool will take their place in the Champions League quarter-finals with pride, after a note-perfect second-leg performance against Bayer Leverkusen earned them a 6-2 aggregate victory.

"No one will underestimate Liverpool after a result like this," Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez said after two goals from Luis Garcia and one from Milan Baros had given the English side a second 3-1 win.

"It's very important for the club, the manager, the fans and everybody to be in the Champions League at this stage."

Liverpool, the four-times European champions, were beaten by Bayer Leverkusen when they reached the quarter-finals in 2002.

This time, there was never any danger of them going out, as they delivered two first-rate performances against the Germans.

"We did everything right in this game," said Benitez. "We were very good in the first half and the goals just made it easier."

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard said the result may well have taken a few people by surprise.

"People might have thought we would play for a draw but we knew we could punish them on the counter-attack," said Gerrard. "This was our best away performance for a while."

Defender Jamie Carragher talked up Liverpool's chances of going further in the competition.

"I know we're not favourites but a few big teams have gone out," Carragher said. "This is a cup competition and the best teams don't always win in cup competitions."

Leverkusen coach Klaus Augenthaler, who congratulated Liverpool for making it through, was left to bemoan his bad luck at being without five first-team regulars through injury and suspension.

"Over the two games Liverpool fully deserved to go through," Augenthaler said.

"We wanted to do something here so much but it was too difficult with five players missing.

"We missed two chances in the first half and as soon as they scored their first goal it was over."