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WEDNESDAY 12 |
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Benitez pleads with fans to behave
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has urged his club's fans to
forge a "good relationship" with their Italian hosts.
The Liverpool squad arrived in Turin for their first visit
to the northern Italian city since the Heysel disaster 20
years ago.
He said: "We have to say to the fans to take the advice they
have been given about not wearing colours or displaying
flags. We know this is an important game for the future.
"We have done everything we can to have a good relationship
in the future and hope that we are able to experience a good
game in a good atmosphere. We will only be thinking about
football."
(Sporting Life)
Alonso set for start
Striker Djibril Cisse is set to take his place on the bench
against Juventus and Xabi Alonso is set to start in the
quarter-final second leg.
Cisse will not start but Reds manager Rafael Benitez is
prepared to use him as a substitute. Alonso is also in the
squad despite the Spanish midfielder having played just 45
minutes of a reserve match since breaking his ankle on New
Years' Day.
Liverpool are without ineligible pair Fernando Morientes and
Mauricio Pellegrino while Dietmar Hamann, Harry Kewell,
Josemi, Florent Sinama-Pongolle and Neil Mellor are all
long-term injury victims.
Liverpool (from): Dudek, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Traore,
Luis Garcia, Biscan, Alonso, Warnock, Riise, Baros, Cisse,
Nunez, Carson, Welsh, Potter, Smicer, Le Tallec.
(TEAMtalk)
Trezeguet ruled out
David Trezeguet will miss Juventus' second leg tie with
Liverpool.
The Italian striker has been struggling with an ankle inury
picked up in the first leg and has not trained today.
(LFC Online)
Capello aware of Reds' threat
Fabio Capello says he is aware of the threat Liverpool will
pose at set-pieces.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday's game Capello admitted that
Liverpool's threat from free-kicks and corners is a worry
for him.
He says: "Liverpool are an excellent squad that defends with
a great deal of attention. They are a really good and strong
team. Unfortunately, we are a bit short on height at the
moment and they are really dangerous on free kicks."
(LFC Online)
Rafa wants consistency
Rafa Benitez is looking for Liverpool to use Wednesday's
UEFA Champions League tie against Juventus as a springboard
to end the inconsistency that has plagued their season.
The Reds have endured an up-and-down campaign to date, as
their fantastic progression in Europe's premier competition
has been marred by under-par league performances.
"We know that after two or three good games normally we do a
big mistake, and now we need to start two or three games in
a row winning, and this is the first one then we have
confidence," said Benitez.
(Sky Sports)
Cisse back for Juve clash
Djibril Cisse has been included in the Liverpool squad for
Wednesday's UEFA Champions League quarter final second leg
with Juventus.
The French international has been out of action after
sustaining a horrific leg break against Blackburn in
October, and was originally expected to be sidelined for a
year.
"Injured players, bad news, Gerrard is not fit, good news
Alonso is in the squad and Cisse is in the squad also, but I
don't know how to say in English, but big problems, big
solutions," said Benitez.
"He [Cisse] will not start, sure no, but the question is
he's training with the team and maybe if we need something
different he can play."
(Planet Football/Sky Sports)
Gerrard backs Reds in Turin
Injured Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has backed his
team-mates to come through tomorrow's tough test in Turin
and knock Juventus out of the Champions League.
"I am down about the injury but I will be supporting the
lads," said the 24-year-old.
"But I am very confident we can get the result we need to go
through to the semi-finals."
(TEAMtalk)
Alonso: I'm ready to face Juventus
Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has declared himself fit
and ready to face Juventus in the Champions League.
The Spanish international was always expected to return for
this tie but he won't be lining up alongside Steven Gerrard
who has been ruled out with a groin injury. Instead Alonso
is expected to be paired with Igor Biscan in the centre of
the Liverpool midfield.
Speaking about his desire to face the Italians, Alonso said:
"I am fit, I have had some good training sessions over the
weekend and I am ready to play against Juventus if I am
required.
"I haven't played for a while but I am fit enough to feature
in the game and I am confident I will come through it.
"I can play against Juve and I want to play. I am keen to
give my all to help Liverpool reach the semi-final."
(Kop Talk) |
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MONDAY 11 |
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Nedved issues Reds warning
Juventus star Pavel Nedved has warned Liverpool they will be
ready for them in the second leg of their UEFA Champions
League meeting.
The Reds hold a 2-1 lead from the first leg, but Nedved
insists Juve will not be caught cold like they were at
Anfield in the first half.
"The first leg match helped us learn an important thing, we
have not to sleep in the first part of the match," Nedved
told Domenica Sportiva.
"We must try to score and at the same time be attentive on
defence.
"I've seem them against Manchester City, they lost, it's
true, but they suffered the score only at the end of match."
Nedved is confident he will be fit to face Liverpool despite
picking up a back injury during last weekend's draw at
Fiorentina.
"I really think I'll be on the pitch. I've been absent for a
long time and now it must stop," added Nedved.
(Planet Football/Sky Sports)
Smicer to snub Lens return
Vladimir Smicer admits he is unlikely to return to Lens when
his Liverpool contract expires in the summer but concedes he
could stay in The Premiership.
The Czech Republic ace is primed to leave Anfield at the end
of the season and Lens are among a number of clubs chasing
his signature.
"I have never said that [I will rejoin Lens]," Smicer told
Lidove Noviny. "It's a truth I will probably leave The Reds
but it's still open to where I will go.
"I don't have exact offers. Two or three offers are from
England and the same number from France.
"I haven't talked about the names and I don't want to.
"Yes they [Lens] asked me, I talked with them, that's a
truth but a deal? It's a long shot."
(Planet Football/Sky Sports)
Gerrard ruled out of Juventus tie
Steven Gerrard has been ruled out of Liverpool's Champions
League quarter-final second leg against Juventus because of
a groin injury.
Liverpool captain Gerrard suffered the problem in the
closing stages of the 1-0 defeat against Manchester City and
did not travel with the squad to Turin.
Gerrard received treatment from Liverpool's medical staff on
Sunday, but has failed to recover.
Liverpool may now give fit-again Xabi Alonso his first game
since 1 January.
Juventus struggled to cope with Gerrard in Liverpool's 2-1
first-leg win, eventually man-marking the England star, and
his absence is a bitter blow for Wednesday's clash.
Manager Rafael Benitez must now ponder a massive gamble with
Alonso having played only 45 minutes of reserve team
football since breaking his ankle against Chelsea
on 1 January.
(BBC Sport Online)
Baros confident of Reds' result
Liverpool striker Milan Baros is confident that they can get
a result against Juventus after the Reds' impressive 2-1
first leg win.
"I think we can score a goal in Juventus. We thought 2-0 was
a good result but they scored a goal and now we have to go
to Turin and try to score a goal."
(BBC Sport Online)
Owen delight at Bernabeu ovation
Michael Owen insisted his future lies with Real Madrid after
he received a standing ovation from the fans for his display
in the 4-2 win over Barcelona.
Owen, who scored the fourth goal, said: "I'm very happy with
my performance and it was a great feeling to get the goal.
"I'm very happy here and I have started easily more than
half the games.
"The fans have taken to me and I have scored goals
consistently. There's not many Englishmen that can say
they've scored in this fixture."
Real's win cut Barcelona's lead in the La Liga to six points
and Owen has now set his sights on winning a trophy in his
first season at the Bernabeu.
"Six points is still a lot to make up but we will put
pressure on Barca and try and do our best," said Owen.
"It would be nice to win the title in my first year here."
(BBC Sport Online)
Under 18's draw with Blades
It was an eventful afternoon for Liverpool
Under-18s who drew 1-1 with Sheffield United but had James
Frayne sent-off and goalkeeper Paul Willis stretchered off
injured.
Karl Noon scored a good goal for Liverpool to equalise as
the 10 men battled bravely following Frayne's sending-off
for improper conduct.
Sheffield United took a first half lead against the run of
play after Noon and Frayne had gone close on numerous
occasions for the Reds.
However Noon equalised in the second half finishing well
from Adam Hammill's
through ball.
Later in the second half Liverpool lost goalkeeper Paul
Willis who was injured making a brave save at the Blades
striker's feet. He was stretchered off and Irish youth
international striker Conal Platt ended the game in goal for
Liverpool.
Liverpool Under-18s: Paul Willis (Conal Platt), Adam
Hitchen, Robbie Threlfall, Jay Spearing, Danny O'Donnell,
Danny Guthrie, Adam Hammill (Lee Woodward), Ryan Wilkie
(Conal Platt), Karl Noon (Craig Lindfield), Paul Barratt,
James Frayne.
(LFC Official Website) |
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SUNDAY 10 |
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Juve pair ready for Liverpool
Emerson and David Trezeguet look set to recover in time to
play Liverpool on Wednesday, while Adriano edges closer to a
derby comeback.
Both Juve stars did not feature in yesterday’s thrilling 3-3
draw at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, but the move was by all
accounts wholly precautionary.
Both Emerson and Trezeguet trained with the squad this
morning and look certain to take part in Wednesday’s
Champions’ League encounter with Liverpool after recovering
from muscular and ankle problems respectively.
(Channel 4 Sport)
Heysel families to meet with Juve and
Liverpool officials
Representatives of families of the Heysel tragedy victims
will meet with Juventus and Liverpool officials in Turin
next week ahead of the Champions League match between the
two clubs.
Otello Lorentini, whose son Roberto was among the 39 mostly
Italian fans who died at the European Cup final in Brussels
in 1985, told Reuters that a private ceremony would be held
for the families of victims at Juve's headquarters in Turin
on Tuesday.
Lorentini said it was the first time the club had agreed to
meet with the families of those who perished after a wall
collapsed following crowd trouble before the game.
"It will be a private ceremony and not a public one," said
Lorentini who is president of a group representing the
families.
"We will also be meeting with Liverpool officials," he
added.
(Reuters)
Everton go 4 points clear
Everton moved four points clear of Liverpool today after
beating Crystal Palace 4-0 at Goodison.
Mikel Arteta, Tim Cahill (2) and 16-year-old substitute
debutant James Vaughan scored the goals that increases the
gap between 4th and 5th in the Premier League.
(Kop Talk)
Benitez: Owen return is an option
Rafael Benitez has left the door open for Michael Owen to
make a return to Liverpool.
Owen has endured a difficult first season in Spain at Real
Madrid, performing well and scoring 10 league goals but
being forced to make his contribution from the fringe of the
team, behind Raul and Ronaldo in the pecking order.
And Benitez, who went in the opposite direction last summer
when he arrived in England from Valencia, believes there
will always be "an option" for Owen to return.
"Owen is a Liverpool supporter and it is always an option
for him, and for us, for him to come back," he told a number
of Sunday newspapers.
"He has the spirit that you need. He loves Liverpool so it
is always an option for him to come back."
(Sporting Life)
Carson made the right decision
The former Leeds keeper insists he made the right choice
when leaving Elland Road, and has been given the chance to
prove his ability in Liverpool's first team.
"I'm hungry for more nights like the one against Juventus,"
he said. "I would much rather be playing in games like this
than in Chelsea's reserves.
"Chelsea were in for me, but I thought at the time that this
game is not all about money.
"I know I could have earned a lot with them, but it's about
playing and not just cash.
"If I'd gone to London I'd have been forgotten. I'd have had
no chance at Chelsea."
(LFC Online)
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Thor Zakariassen
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