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Alberto Gilardino scored a last-gasp winner for Fiorentina to secure a 2-1 win over Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Yossi Benayoun gave the Premier League side the lead with a 43rd minute header at Anfield before Martin Jorgensen scored a 63rd minute equaliser for the Italians. Gilardino won it with seconds remaining after converting a Juan Vargas cross.

With Fiorentina safely through to the last 16 and five-times European champions Liverpool resigned to playing in the Europa League next year, this was a dead rubber in terms of placings in Group E.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard said his side were not good enough to progress to knockout phase after they secured just seven points from their six group games.

"I think we've been unlucky tonight but we've not been good enough," he said .

There was some encouragement for Liverpool fans in the shape of midfielder Alberto Aquilani. The 20 million pounds signing from Roma in August had made just three substitute appearances since his move but showed some decent touches on his first start before being substituted after 75 minutes.

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This was not the way Liverpool had intended to say farewell to the competition after a disappointing group stage campaign.

With nothing to play for but pride and with a titanic Premier League game against Arsenal on Sunday, Liverpool coach Rafa Benitez used the game to give some of his fringe players a chance to shine in the Champions League spotlight.

Liverpool-born defender Stephen Darby was handed his first senior start at right-back and he was kept busy along with Diego Cavalieri, the second-choice keeper.

The hosts would have been behind at halftime if Cavalieri had not produced a superb reflex save to keep out Lorenzo De Silvestri's 33rd minute header while the Brazilian also saved Daniel Agger from embarrassment after the Danish defender's weak backpass threatened to let in Mario Santana.

Cavalieri was also forced to beat away an awkward long-range effort from Riccardo Montolivo before Benayoun broke the deadlock against the run of play.

It was made by Steven Gerrard, the captain making his 501st appearance for the club. After winning a free-kick just outside the penalty area on the right, Gerrard delivered a fine cross for Benayoun to head home.

Jorgensen, who had earlier blazed over the bar, kept his composure to equalise with a low finish after slack marking in by the hosts.

The game appeared to be drifting towards a draw when Gilardino hit the winner in front of his side's delirious supporters.

Benitez denied that his side lacked concentration after conceding another late goal – something they did in the two games with Lyon.

"No, not really," said Benitez, when asked about whether he was worried by his team's lack of concentration.

"Tonight was just a mistake and something that can happen."

Barcelona's Lionel Messi has won the acclaimed Ballon d'Or award after being named European Footballer of the Year.

French magazine France Football said the Argentina forward beat 2008 winner Cristiano Ronaldo into second place by a massive margin – 473 points to 233.

Messi, 22, won the treble of Champions League, the Spanish championship and Spanish cup with Barcelona last season.

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney and Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard were eighth and 10th respectively.

Third and fourth place in the voting were Messi's Barcelona team-mates, midfielders Xavi (170 points) and Andres Iniesta (149).

Striker Samuel Eto'o, who left Barcelona for Inter Milan during the close-season, was fifth.

The highest-placed English player was Rooney, while Chelsea forward Didier Drogba came ninth.

France Football said Messi was only seven points short of the maximum available from the 96 jurors.

The magazine quoted Messi as saying: "Honestly, I knew that I was among the favourites because Barcelona had a fruitful year in 2009.

"But I didn't expect to win with such a margin. The Golden Ball is very important to me. All the players who won it were great players, and some great players never won it.

"I dedicate it to my family. They were always present when I needed them and sometimes felt even stronger emotions than me."

Messi becomes the sixth Barcelona player to take the award but the first since Brazil playmaker Ronaldinho in 2005. He is also the first Argentine winner, Alfredo Di Stefano being registered as Spanish when he won the award in 1957.

Messi recently signed a two-year contract extension with the European champions until 2016 – an improved deal which includes a buy-out clause set at 250m euros (£228m).

Messi top-scored in last season's Champions League with nine goals – one of them coming in his side's 2-0 victory over Manchester United in the final in Rome.

That United team contained Ronaldo, the 2008 Ballon d'Or winner, but the Portugal forward, who now plays for Real Madrid, was eclipsed by Messi on the night.

Barca coach Pep Guardiola, having completed an unprecedented treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League titles, said after the final: "I think he is the best player and we didn't need to win today to know he is the best."

Messi, who joined the Catalan giants from Newell's Old Boys at the age of 13 in 2000, usually plays on the right flank even though he is left-footed.

His scampering runs off the wing and surges across the area to shoot or play-in a team mate have become a trademark of Barcelona's eye-catching attacking style.

The arrival of right-back Daniel Alves from Seville in 2008 freed Messi from his wing duties, allowing him to move deeper into midfield, lose his markers, link up better with Barca playmakers Xavi and Iniesta, and burst through on goal from central positions.

He finished as the club's top scorer with 38 goals in all competitions last season.

Messi, whose style is usually likened to that of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona, came through the Barca youth system and made his senior debut under Frank Rijkaard aged 16.

He is still only 22 but has amassed three La Liga titles, two European Cups and a Spanish cup. He helped Argentina win the Under-20 World Cup in 2005, finishing as top scorer, and won gold with his country at the 2008 Olympics.

Four years ago, Maradona, who has since become Argentina manager, said Messi would be the player to take over his mantle as national hero.

In addition to the Ballon d'Or, Messi is favourite to be crowned 2009 Fifa World Player of the Year on 21 December.