While putting together these stats I noticed that AC MILAN drew 2-2 in last season's QF at home, won the second leg in Munich and went on to win the European Cup.
Champions League Away Goal Stats/Records (04/05-07/08)
Knockout Stages only, up to 07/08 QFs
Ties : 54
Home leg first & won tie : 19 (19/54 = 35.19%)
Away leg first & won tie : 35 (35/54 = 64.81%)
Home leg first & conceded away goals : 36 (36/54 = 66.67%)
Home leg first, conceded away goals & won tie : 8 (8/36 = 22.22%)
Home leg first & won leg : 24 (24/54 = 44.44%)
Home leg first, won leg & won tie : 15 (15/24 = 62.5%)
Home leg first & lost leg : 12 (12/54 = 22.22%)
Home leg first, lost leg & won tie : 0 (0/12 = 0.00%)
Home leg first & drew leg : 18 (18/54 = 33.33%)
Home leg first, drew leg & won tie : 4 (4/18 = 22.22%)
Home leg first, score draw : 11 (11/54 = 20.37%)
Home leg first, score draw & won tie : 2 (18.19%)
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So running through those :
- around 1/3 of the teams that play the first leg at home go through to the next round.
- 2/3 of the teams playing the first leg at home conceded at least one away goal with only 8 of the 36 teams still going through (around 1/4)
- 44.44% of teams playing the first leg at home won that first leg, nearly 2/3 of those teams that won the first leg at home go through to the next round
- 22.22% of teams playing the first leg at home lost that first leg, NONE of the teams that lost the first leg at home have gone through to the next round
- 33.33% of team playing the first leg at home drew that first game, only four have gone through to the next round.
- Of the 18 draws in the first leg, 11 were score draws. Of those score draws only twice has the home side progressed - AC Milan vs Bayern Munich in 2006/7 (2-2 and 2-0) and Chelsea vs Valencia in 2006/7 (1-1 and 2-1)
So in a nutshell we face an uphill task. These kind of stats will include some mismatches with the likes of Fenerbahce, Celtic, Rangers, Lille and other less strong sides in the knockout stages. However that no side has lost the first leg at home and gone through speaks volumes, regardless whether they were strong or weak or if it were a mismatch or not.
Relevant to Liverpool are the drawn games and score draws, it doesn't look good, but at least it has been done before - and against decent sides (Arsenal winning in San Siro, AC Milan winning in Munich and Chelsea winning in Valencia) Well we can't say we haven't had a good run in the competition even if we do go out, one European Cup, two finals and three semis in four seasons isn't a bad treat. Certain other managers must view that success with green eyes