Liverpool beat Inter Milan 1-0 in the San Siro on the night, and 3-0 on aggregate, to make it four English sides in the quarter-finals for the first time.

Torres controlled a cross inside the area and beat Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar with a low shot in the 64th minute. Inter played the last 40 minutes a man down after defender Nicolas Burdisso was sent off with his second yellow card.

After Fernando Torres had grabbed the crucial second-half winner, Benitez added: ‘I do not have any preference now who we play next, but I would be more than happy to face an English side in the final.

Liverpool joins three other EPL teams Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal in the quarter-finals, making this the first time four teams from the same country have made it to the final eight.

FC Barcelona, AS Roma, Schalke and Fenerbahce also have made it to the quarter-finals.