It would have been a travesty had Fabio Capello's Juventus advanced on the away-goals rule when, with 12 minutes left, an Alessandro del Piero free-kick was headed against the post by Fabio Cannavaro before Djimi Traoré cleared amid claims that the ball had crossed the line. It was a rare moment of dread and the Merseyside club illustrated their superiority to Serie A's joint leaders as they set up a first ever semi-final between English clubs, with the first leg at Stamford Bridge on April 27.
If there is a mystery to a club that can be toiling to qualify for next season's Champions League while simultaneously prospering in the competition, it will not detain Chelsea, who will understand perfectly the irrelevance of results such as Liverpool's weekend defeat by Manchester City.
The progress to the last four of the Champions League bolsters the argument that the better sides bring out the best in Liverpool. The mightiest aspect of last night's triumph lies in the lack of fuss with which it was seized. The side and its manager Rafael Benítez revel in football of this nature.
They are also increasingly well equipped as they ready themselves to meet a Chelsea side harassed by injuries. Djibril Cissé made his comeback as a substitute some six months after breaking his leg at Blackburn. The impression of quality in Benítez's ranks was further enhanced by the return to the team of Xabi Alonso.
This marvellously accomplished footballer testified in the Stadio delle Alpi that technique can overcome a serious physical disadvantage. Liverpool, aiming to guard their 2-1 lead from the first leg, were bent on finding out how long he could last on 45 minutes of action against Leeds United reserves a week ago. To their incredulous joy Alonso came through the whole evening.
The Spaniard had not appeared in the first team since having his ankle broken against Chelsea on January 2 and he now has the opportunity to meet those opponents again with the stakes raised remarkably.
Though Benítez is full of admiration for Capello's tactical intelligence, it was the Liverpool manager who handed out the lessons here. A rare switch by him to a 3-5-2 system was a strategic statement as well as an expression of concern for Alonso. In a packed midfield he had Antonio Núñez and Igor Biscan to prop him up.
Alonso would surely not have been selected at all had Steven Gerrard overcome a thigh strain. Arguably, however, he is a more valuable figure for this specialised kind of engagement than the adventurous club captain.
Though he was husky enough to leave Del Piero in need of treatment after an early exchange, Liverpool's convalescent mostly helped retain the ball and take the sting out of Juventus, who could never work up the momentum to put the visitors under siege. Alonso may have followed instructions with undue dedication when he slowed the game down with a piece of time-wasting that brought a booking.
There was only one occasion when Juventus's low-key tone looked sure to be vindicated. Gianluca Zambrotta, despite being far out on the left, pierced the defence with a low ball, only for the erratic Zlatan Ibrahimovic to shoot high.
There ought to have been faith that Liverpool would safeguard themselves on most occasions. Only six goals have been conceded in 10 Champions League fixtures under Benítez. The centre-backs were notably dominant, with Jamie Carragher once more emphasising his new value since the manager released him from the makeshift existence of a mere utility player.
The whole side was diligent until a corner kick shortly before the interval. Del Piero was allowed to play it short to an unmarked Mauro Camoranesi, who pulled the ball back to Pavel Nedved. His drive, though, was blocked.
Juventus had begun to suspect that there would be despair to come unless the tone of the match was transformed. Another forward had to be added, with Marcelo Zalayeta coming on for the midfielder Rubén Olivera and Del Piero acting more as a prompter.
The immediate development after the interval, though, was a fine chance for Liverpool to extend the aggregate lead. Milan Baros took a pass from Alonso to go clear of Paolo Montero but the Czech's finishing is not as reliable as his pace and the shot ran wide.
Juventus's reaction was flustered rather than deadly. It was Liverpool who had the assurance to maintain a spell of attacking which earned them free-kicks and corners while instilling dread in Capello's men, to say nothing of an increasing state of agitation in the home crowd.
A save by Jerzy Dudek from an Emerson header after Camoranesi's free-kick in the 63rd was the single noteworthy intervention demanded of the goalkeeper in the whole match.
Capello enjoys posing as a connoisseur of 1-0 wins but the hunger of his team for that result grew crude, desperate and futile as Liverpool pro longed a magnificently serene steadfastness.