Diego Forlan came back to haunt Liverpool at Anfield once again on Thursday night as the former Manchester United striker's away goal in Atletico Madrid's 2-1 defeat saw the Spaniards progress to the final of the Europa League.
Liverpool, trailing 1-0 to a Forlan strike from the first leg, had deservedly forced drawn level thanks to Alberto Aquilani's first-half goal and appeared bound for Hamburg after Yossi Benayoun had put them 2-0 up on the night, and 2-1 up on aggregate, five minutes into extra time.
However, Forlan struck seven minutes later after some poor defending from Glen Johnson to end the home side's hopes of ending a bitterly disappointing season with some silverware.
Given that injuries had robbed them off Fernando Torres, Liverpool were buoyed by the availability of the versatile Dirk Kuyt, who started up front after passing a late fitness test. The Dutchman needed only ten seconds to make his presence felt, flicking a long punt forward from Daniel Agger into the path of Benayoun, whose low angled strike was only stopped by the legs of Atletico's teenage goalkeeper David de Gea.
Liverpool tore into Atletico in the early exchanges but despite forcing a number of corners they managed just one shot on goal: a low drive from Aquilani which was easily held by de Gea.
Atletico, having weathered the early storm, eased their way into the game and threatened for the first time 19 minutes in when Jose Reina did well to turn a long-range effort from Raul Garcia which bounced up horribly in front of the Spanish stopper.
However, Liverpool should have moved in front seven minutes later. After a wonderful exchange of passes involving Aquilani, Kuyt and Steven Gerrard which bamboozled the Atletico defence, the latter played the ball wide for the supporting Javier Mascherano, who had started at right-back to facilitate the inclusion of Aquilani in midfield. The Argentine whipped over a superb first-time cross and Kuyt got himself on the end of it but he fired over the bar.
Liverpool enjoyed a lucky escape of their own moments later when Jose Antonio Reyes released Sergio Aguero with a wonderful raking pass. Aguero, who missed the first leg through suspension, latched on to it but he was expertly forced wide by Reina, who did well not to bring the Argentina down. Aguero tried to lift the ball over Reina from an acute angle but his chip floated harmlessly across the six-yard box, allowing Jamie Carragher to clear the danger.
The opening goal, it seemed, was coming and Liverpool thought that they had gotten it just after the half hour when Agger headed Gerrard's free-kick from deep past de Gea. However, the Dane had been marginally offside when the free-kick was taken and the goal was correctly ruled out.
Liverpool refused to let frustration set in, though, and they deservedly took the lead just over a minute before half-time. Benayoun rolled his man beautifully on the right wing before crossing for Aquilani, who, despite being somewhat off-balance, brilliantly half-volleyed the ball into the bottom corner of the Atletico net.
Now a goal up, Liverpool started the second half more cautiously than the first and that allowed Atletico to dictate the game somewhat. However, Rafa Benitez's men restricted their visitors to nothing more than potshots from distance while at the same time looking very menacing on the counter-attack.
Indeed, the Reds came desperately close to taking the lead on aggregate when Ryan Babel's cross from the left found Benayoun at the far post. However, while the Israeli was waiting for the ball to drop, Antonio Lopez brilliantly flicked the ball away to safety.
Moments later Kuyt shot straight at de Gea after being put clear by expertly measured pass from Aquilani, who had broken impressively from deep.
Atletico continued to enjoy plenty of possession in their opponents' half as the game moved into its final quarter before Liverpool finally reclaimed the initiative in the closing stages, Johnson calling de Gea into action once more with a curling effort from the edge of the box.
The Reds did have a scare, though, with just over three minutes of normal time when Simao Sabrosa floated a beautiful ball into the path of Forlan only for the Uruguayan to miscontrol horribly. Had he taken the ball down, Forlan would have been clean through on goal. As it was, though, an extra 30 minutes were required to separate the two sides.
The short break appeared to revitalise Liverpool, who took the lead within five minutes of the resumption of play. After the ball had bobbled about on edge of the box, it was eventually laid off to the supporting Lucas Leiva, who floated a sublime pass in behind the Atletico defence. Benayoun elected to hit it first time, driving it fiercely past a clearly surprised de Gea.
Anfield erupted, believing their side was on the verge of recording another famous European triumph, but the home fans' joy was short-lived. Just three minutes before half-time in extra time Reyes beat Johnson to an angled punt from deep before lifting the ball into Forlan, who finished emphatically at the far post.
Liverpool needed another goal but with Aquilani having already been substituted, Gerrard stifled and the rest of the team looking exhausted, the Reds had nothing left to give.
Indeed, Atletico looked the far fresher and more dynamic side in the remaining 18 minutes and would have scored again had Simao not shot wastefully over the bar after being slipped in by Forlan.
In the end, though, the latter's goal was enough to see the visitors through, meaning Liverpool's fans were once again left forlorn by a familiar foe.