Liverpool produced a miracle en route to the 2007 Champions League final by beating Barcelona 2-1 at the Camp Nou.

Goals from Craig Bellamy and John Arne Riise cancelled out Deco's headed opener to shock Europe in the last 16 first leg.

Barca won the second leg at Anfield 1-0 to make it 2-2 on aggregate, but the away goals rule meant Liverpool progressed through to the quarter-finals.

Victories against PSV Eindhoven and Chelsea in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively then set up a repeat of 2005's final with AC Milan.

Liverpool lost the game in Athens 2-1 as their Italian opponents exacted revenge.

Rafa Benitez did an incredible job guiding the Reds to the Champions League final for a second time in three years and now Boudewijn Zenden has lifted the lid on the Spaniard's tactics.

More specifically, Zenden has explained how Benitez organised his side to stop Messi when they travelled to the Camp Nou to face Barcelona.

Benitez knew that Messi would look to cut inside on his left foot if he played on the right wing, so he played right-footed right-back Alvaro Arbeloa at left-back to track him.

And it worked a charm. Messi had a quiet game and Liverpool won 2-1 to take a commanding lead into the second leg. Take it away, Boudewijn.

"He was always someone who did his utter best to prepare his team the best he could and he didn't really care about names," the former Dutch midfielder told ChronicleLive.

"He just put the best possible team on the pitch to win a game. That is one of his strong points. Our right-back, Alvaro Arbeloa, always played at right-back, but when we faced Barcelona he put him at left-back.

"Why would you put your best right-back on the left-hand side? Well, it was because Lionel Messi was playing as a right-winger and he came inside with his left foot.

"I'm talking about some time ago because nowadays you can put Messi anywhere. It really helped us to eliminate the danger that came from Messi in those two games.

"That's something that he would come up with, figure out or do. That would mean the regular left-back wouldn't play so what are you doing then?

"Do you put out the best 11 or do you put out the best 11 that can win the game? That's how he faced every opponent."

Benitez became a legend at Liverpool during his six years as manager, and masterminding a 2-1 victory away to Barcelona by stopping Messi was one of his best results.