TENSE ENCOUNTER ... but Diego Forlan's extra-time winner put Atletico through
DIEGO FORLAN and Jose Antonio Reyes combined to break Liverpool's hearts and scupper the hopes of a dream all-English final.
Alberto Aquilani's first-half goal had raised the Reds hopes and they looked to be heading for a Hamburg clash with Fulham after Yossi Benayoun had put them ahead on aggregate early in extra-time.
But 10 minutes later, Reyes found space on the right to pick out the unmarked Forlan, and the ex-Man Utd hitman guided his finish past a helpless Pepe Reina
Liverpool and Atletico Madrid line up before kick-off
Glen Johnson under pressure from Sergio Aguero
Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard
Daniel Agger heads in but the goal is ruled out for offside
Steven Gerrard argues with referee Terje Hauge after Liverpool have a goal disallowed
Liverpool needed a good start and they almost had it after just nine seconds when Daniel Agger's long ball forward picked out Benayoun in the penalty area and his low shot from a narrow angle was turned behind by goalkeeper David de Gea.
It was the first of three corners inside two minutes as all the play was concentrated in the visitors' half.
Aquilani was next to threaten but his low shot from Dirk Kuyt's 11th-minute lay-off on the edge of the penalty area was straight at De Gea.
But the Spanish side were still a threat and Reina dived low to his right to turn Raul Garcia's long-range effort around the post in the 19th minute.
Paulo Assuncao trips Liverpool's Steven Gerrard
Just when it seemed Liverpool had lost momentum, Steven Gerrard sent Javier Mascherano racing down the right and his cross along the six-yard area was diverted over the crossbar by the sliding Kuyt.
Sergio Aguero went round Reina having latched on to a perfect through-ball from Reyes but opted to cross rather than shoot from a narrow angle and Forlan was too far behind play to take advantage.
Liverpool thought they had scored when Gerrard curled in a 32nd-minute free-kick and Agger headed into the bottom corner only to be flagged offside.
Gerrard was then booked for a needless foul on Aguero as the half drew to a close and frustration levels began to rise at Anfield.
But a minute before the interval the breakthrough finally came.
Mascherano's throw down the right wing was picked up by Benayoun whose cross was missed by Kuyt but found Aquilani who curled a low shot just inside De Gea's left-hand post.
Atletico regrouped for the second-half and the optimism around Anfield was replaced by a growing sense of anxiety as the tie reached the business end.
Benayoun shot well over from 25 yards and Johnson cut in from the left and whipped in a right-footed shot De Gea could only parry over.
Diego Forlan with Liverpool's Lucas, Jamie Carragher and Javier Mascherano
Dirk Kuyt and Atletico Madrid's Raul Garcia
Alberto Aquilani scores for Liverpool
But the game became increasingly tense as the 90-minute mark closed in and with less than five minutes left, Forlan narrowly failed to reach a throughball that would have left him bearing down on Reina's goal.
Goalscorer Aquilani was replaced by Nabil El-Zhar with a minute to go as the game went into extra time.
The extra 30 minutes then started like a dream for Liverpool, when Benayoun broke free on the left and rifled a powerful shot into the far corner.
But the cheers turned to silence when terrible defending left Forlan in acres of space to rattle in the decisive goal.
Rafa Benitez's side huffed and puffed in the second period but it was to no avail and time was called on any chance of honours in Liverpool's miserable season - and possibly Benitez's tenure at the club.
Alberto Aquilani celebrates his goal with Liverpool's Glen Johnson
Pepe Reina celebrates Liverpool drawing level
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