This evening, Liverpool will play their second group game of this season's Champions League inside St Jakob Park - the home of Basel.

The Reds met the Swiss outfit on two previous occasions back in 2002 when the teams were also drawn in the same group along with Valencia and Spartak Moscow.

Here, Sports Mole looks back on those two fixtures.

Gerard Houllier's Liverpool were humbled on matchday one by Valencia, which made their home encounter with Basel next time out a must-win. The Swiss side, though, arrived at Anfield full of confidence as a result of their 2-0 victory over Spartak, and it showed in their performance.

The hosts may have taken the lead when Milan Baros fired in Emile Heskey's return pass in the 34th minute, but Basel were level before the break. Antonio Esposito was the creator, floating a cross over the head of Jamie Carragher for Julio Hernan Rossi, who shot through the legs of Jerzy Dudek. Liverpool, playing in Europe for the 100th time, were unable to respond as the spoils were shared, which left them facing an uphill task to qualify.

LIVERPOOL: Dudek; Riise, Henchoz, Hyypia, Carragher; Cheyrou, Murphy, Gerrard; Owen (Berger), Heskey (Diouf), Baros

BASEL: Zuberbuhler; Haas, Quennoz, Atouba; Cantaluppi, H Yakin, Barberis, Esposito, Gimenez; Ross, M Yakin

The equation for Liverpool when they arrived in Switzerland was simple - win and they would advance through to the knockout stages. Anything less would see Basel progress, which would confine the Premier League side to the UEFA Cup. Yet, just when Liverpool needed to produce a positive performance, the first half was one to forget.

Rossi broke the deadlock within 90 seconds, while further goals from Christian Gimenez and future Tottenham Hotspur defender Timothee Atouba put Basel 3-0 up after 30 minutes. Steven Gerrard was substituted at the break in what was one of the lowest moments of his Liverpool career. Without the midfielder, the visitors rallied and actually levelled up the score thanks to Danny Murphy, Vladimir Smicer and Michael Owen, but Basel held out in closing stages to eliminate the Merseysiders.

BASEL: Zuberbuhler; Haas, Zwyssig, Atouba; Ergic, H Yakin (Koumantarakis), Cantaluppi, Esposito, Gimenez (Barberis); M Yakin, Rossi (Tum)

LIVERPOOL: Dudek, Riise, Carragher (Diouf), Hyypia, Traore; Hamann, Smicer, Murphy, Gerrard (Diao); Heskey (Baros), Owen