Liverpool hopes of one more great Champions League escape were dashed on Tuesday night, as Fiorentina sealed their place alongside Olympique Lyon with a 1-0 win over the French side, leaving the English team’s 1-0 success against Debrecen irrelevant.

Liverpool, of course, only have themselves to blame for leaving their fate in the hands of a team that had already secured their own qualification.

There will doubtless be a lot more criticism of Rafa Benitez, his transfer dealings and the perceived failures of man management, but the analysis of exactly why Liverpool failed to progress can wait for another post.

For now, consider one question: Might this result actually work in Liverpool’s long-term favour?

The club could certainly have done with the revenue from a run to the semi-finals or beyond but, with the best will in the world, did this season’s team ever really look capable of making it as far as Madrid?

With a squad that (everyone has said) is inferior to last year’s, maybe it will prove in their interests that they no longer have to juggle Champions League and Premier League campaigns. They can now have a leisurely tilt at the Europa League — if they make it to the final it will be an enjoyable run, if they don’t … well, who really cares? — and concentrate on doing something about that dreadful domestic form.

The priority, as always, must be to secure qualification for the group stage of next year’s Champions League. That 19th league title looks as elusive as ever but a top-four finish may have just become a more realistic possibility.

PHOTO: Liverpool’s coach Rafael Benitez looks on as Steven Gerrard walks off during the Champions League soccer match against Debrecen at the Puskas stadium in Budapest November 24, 2009. REUTERS/Laszlo Balogh

He looks a bit like Screech from that U.S show “Saved by the Bell”, but there is nothing clumsy about Fiorentina striker Stevan Jovetic.

With a glorious crop of shaggy hair, the Montenegro striker destroyed Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday with two first-half goals that probably even shocked the Florence faithful.

The 19-year-old was thrown in at the deep-end with Alberto Gilardino suspended but responded in stunning fashion. Can anyone remember Liverpool being so overrun for 45 minutes?

If he wasn’t already, Jovetic will definitely be on the big clubs’ radars now.

The famous win for Fiorentina, fourth in Serie A last year, came at just the right time for the club. Things had been difficult with their president resigning last week while poor Adrian Mutu is still fighting against his enormous fine following his sacking by Chelsea.

It was also a glimmer of hope for the embattled Italian game after two years of flops in the Champions League.

Inter Milan racked up seven Champions League games without a win in the 1-1 draw at Rubin Kazan but they did battle hard after going down to 10 men.

Juventus visit the might of Bayern Munich later while AC Milan and coach Leonardo desperately need a win at home to FC Zurich after a dreadful start to the campaign which owner Silvio Berlusconi has, half-jokingly, labelled a “disaster”.

Could Jovetic’s showing be just the boost they all need?

PHOTO: Fiorentina’s Stevan Jovetic (R) challenges Yossi Benayoun of Liverpool during their Champions League soccer match at the Artemio Franchi Stadium in Florence September 29, 2009. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi

It had long been decided that Italy's rugby team would host world champions South Africa in Florence on Saturday Nov. 21.

Then soccer got in the way. Fiorentina, who use Florence's only big stadium the Stadio Franchi, were due to play Parma at home on the 22nd but when they were drawn to play at home on Tuesday Nov. 24 against Olympique Lyon in the Champions League, the Parma game was moved to the 21st.

Suddenly there was a big problem and now the rugby match will take place in Udine instead despite tickets already having gone on sale.

Is this a case of soccer taking undue precedence over rugby or is it just a tale of ineptitude?

Even if Fiorentina's game against Parma had been kept on the Sunday, that still would have meant two soccer matches and a rugby game on the same already-weathered pitch within four days.

Places such as England don't have these problems because there are generally separate stadiums for rugby and soccer.

The Italians are used to such switches though. Quite often match dates are changed only a few days before or fans are told they can't attend games for security reasons with little notice. La Dolce Vita, it is not.

PHOTO: Italy's Sergio Parisse (C) runs into New Zealand's defence during their rugby test match in Christchurch June 27, 2009. REUTERS/Simon Baker

Has there ever been a more stupid and pointless sending off than  Simon Vukcevic’s dismissal for Sporting against Fiorentina in the Champions League play-off round on Tuesday night?

The 23-year-old Montenegro striker, booked for getting involved in a petty squabble with an opponent after 12 minutes, then scored after 58 minutes to put Sporting level at 1-1 after Fiorentina had taken an early lead.

Its impossible to know what went through his head next. Running back with his team mates he took off his shirt in celebration and despite putting it back on a few seconds later was shown a second yellow card and then a red by Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai who gave him a look as if to say, “Sorry mate, rules are rules.”

Not only did that leave Sporting with 10 men for over half-an-hour it also means the Montenegro international will be banned for next week’s second leg in Italy, and that arguably could cost them the tie which is up for grabs after the sides battled to a 2-2 draw in Lisbon.

I have never ever understood why players take their shirts off to celebrate a goal. I think its disrespectful to the shirt, your team mates, to your fans and the club that pays your wages.

It’s an utterly pointless gesture and when the authorities decided a few years ago it was a bookable offence, most players saw sense and stopped doing it.

What made it even more ridiculous was that Vukcevic looked surprised when he was red carded. You ought to read the rules, mate.

PHOTO: Sporting’s Simon Vukcevic (L) celebrates with Miguel Veloso after his goal against Fiorentina during their Champions League playoff first leg at Alvalade stadium in Lisbon August 18, 2009. REUTERS/Jose Manuel Ribeiro

Imagine the scenario. FIFA decides to use post-match video evidence at the 1986 World Cup. After Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal against England in the quarter-final, the Argentinian is banned for two matches and the course of football history changes.

Belgium beat West Germany in the final in Mexico City.

A two-game ban is exactly what Alberto Gilardino has received for deliberately scoring the opener with his arm in Fiorentina’s 3-1 win at Palermo on Sunday.

The Italy striker, top scorer in Serie A because of that goal, even ran away to celebrate which angered the Sicilians even more.

Post-game video evidence has often led to players being banned for violent conduct, but the Italian league’s decision to sanction Gilardino for “serious unsporting conduct” following the handball opens up a real can of worms.

If the referee had spotted Gilardino using his arm he would only have got a yellow card. Yet a review after the match leads to a two-match suspension. Why the difference?

If Gilardino deserves such punishment then why should the goal be able to stand? It doesn’t help Palermo much that he misses games against Inter Milan and Siena. If his opening goal had been ruled out, Palermo could have gone on to win the match.

Isn’t a replay a better way of settling this?

PHOTO: Fiorentina’s Alberto Gilardino (L) reacts after missing a chance against Bayern Munich, Oct 21. REUTERS/Michael Dalder. A statue of Diego Maradona (R) stands in the Hand of God church in Buenos Aires. REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci