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SUNDAY 15 |
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Milan slip further behind in Serie A race
Liverpool's Champions League opponents AC Milan are still
fighting for the Italian League title, but it looks to be
slipping away from them now. Unfortunately for Milan,
today's results mean it's now going to take a lot of luck
for them to secure the title. Juventus went into the weekend
on top of the table, three points ahead of second-placed
Milan.
Whilst Juve were beating Parma 2-0, Milan struggled to a 2-2
draw against a Lecce side that was down to ten men.
Both teams now have two games to play, and the gap is now
five points. Milan's next game - against Palermo at home -
was moved at their request from next Sunday to next Friday.
This was to give them time to prepare for the big game in
Istanbul. If Milan fail to get all three points from the
game Juventus will already be Serie A champions by the time
they play their away game at Livorno on Sunday.
Milan's two goals in their draw were scored by Kakha Kaladze
and Andriy Shevchenko. Meanwhile their rivals Inter Milan
secured third place and with it Champions League football
next season when they beat Livorno 1-0.
(Anfield Road.com)
Benitez backs Cisse
Rafa Benitez was delighted to see Djibril Cisse back on the
scoresheet against Aston Villa.
French marksman Cisse bagged his first goals since breaking
his leg in October as he scored twice in Liverpool's 2-1 win
over Villa at Anfield.
"Cisse scored two goals and he ran quick and hard all game,"
said Benitez.
"Maybe he needs to play more games but we have ten more days
left until the final and he will be fitter and better by
then.
"Now we have two options in attack and it will be better for
me and better for the team."
(Sky Sports)
Cisse back to sink Villa
Liverpool signed off for the Premiership season with a 2-1
win over Aston Villa at Anfield, with Djibril Cisse
returning to goalscoring form by grabbing a brace.
Rafa Benitez made several changes to his starting line-up
for the visit of Villa with their UEFA Champions League
final against Milan in mind.
Liverpool, and indeed the home crowd, did seem to have their
minds on Istanbul at times at Anfield, but Cisse was a man
with this game at the front of his thinking.
The former Auxerre attacker has made a remarkable recovery
from a broken leg to be in contention for a starting place
in Turkey, and he was looking to give Benitez a selection
headache for the final.
Cisse's pace made the penalty from which he himself scored
to open the scoring, while he showed clinical finishing to
double the advantage.
Gareth Barry got Villa back into it in a second half they
had by far the better of, but Liverpool hung on to give
their fans a home win to celebrate in the warm-up for
the big one.
(Sky Sports)
Liverpool v Aston Villa - confirmed team
LIVERPOOL: Carson, Josemi, Carragher, Pellegrino, Warnock,
Riise, Alonso, Biscan, Nunez, Kewell, Cisse.
SUBS: Dudek, Finnan, Hyypia, Baros, Hamann.
(Kop Talk)
Garcia: My team-mates will not treat Villa
lightly
Luis Garcia may well be watching from the
sidelines this afternoon when his team-mates bring the
curtain down on Liverpool's Premiership season, but he's
sure they will be treat the visit of Aston Villa seriously.
"It's still an important game," Garcia told Liverpoolfc.tv.
"We are playing at home and owe it to the supporters to try
and score goals. It would be nice to sign off at Anfield
with a good result. When you are out on that pitch you can
feel the love and support of the fans and you always want to
repay that.
"True, it will be hard not to think of the final and the
risk of getting injured will be in the back of the mind. But
once you are out there then all you think about is the game
you are playing. Playing a bad game will not be good for our
confidence going into the final."
(LFC Official Wesite)
Carra captain?
Jamie Carragher may captain Liverpool in their last league
game of the season today.
Regular captain Steven Gerrard is definitely out with a
thigh injury and Sami Hyypia may be rested before the
European Cup final so it could be fans favourite Jamie
Carragher who leads the team out later today.
Player of the year Carragher was first given the captain's
armband by Gerard Houllier and was most fans' first choice
to become captain when it seemed Gerrard
was off to Chelsea.
(LFC Online) |
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SATURDAY 14 |
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Vignal wants Premiership stay
Gregory Vignal's future is likely to be resolved in the next
three weeks and the Frenchman is not expected to be
returning to Rangers.
The 23-year-old left-back, who has spent the season on loan
at Ibrox, has been told he can leave Liverpool on a free
transfer but has been unable to agree a deal with the
Scottish giants.
"There is no particular news from Glasgow so I don't think
we'll stay," Flavier said. "We have a new decision (to
make), we have some interest and we're working it out.
"He likes English football so probably that would be the
first choice but it's too early to talk about a decision.
"Sometimes the club are interested and a week after they
don't know, but another club is coming after him, so we
don't know how many but certainly three or four clubs are
interested.
"Right now we have time but probably (a decision will be
made) in the next three weeks."
Vignal has not played for Liverpool for more than two years
and had loan spells with French club Rennes and Spanish
outfit Espanyol last season.
(TEAMtalk)
Benitez backs Garcia
Rafa Benitez believes that Luis Garcia can be an
enormous success in the English game, after finding his feet
in The Premiership in his debut season for Liverpool.
The goalscoring midfielder has impressed in spells this
season, and manager Rafa Benitez draws parallels to Arsenal
star Robert Pires.
"He works so well between the lines," said Benitez. "It
takes time to settle into the English style, and he has
achieved that.
"People should remember that it took Robert Pires a full
season in England to come to terms with the pace and
strength of the game, but look at him now.
"Luis Garcia will only improve from here on."
"He has been called up by Spain since arriving in England
and made his international debut.
"He is now much more well known because of what he has done
for Liverpool, and things can only improve for him now."
(Sky Sports)
Houllier back in business?
Former Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier is being tipped to
take over at Lyon.
Paul Le Guen quit as coach of the French side last week and
is already being linked with a possible move to Paris St
Germain.
Houllier, out of work since leaving Liverpool last summer,
is said to be flattered by the interest.
(LFC Online) |
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FRIDAY 13 |
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Smicer confirms Reds exit
Vladimir Smicer has confirmed that Rafa Benitez has told him
his Liverpool career is coming to an end.
The Czech Republic international has been speaking to the
press in his homeland and accepts his time with the UEFA
Champions League finalists will finish this summer.
As he seeks first team football, a switch to former club
Lens is one option open to the experienced forward.
"Yes [I am going to leave Liverpool]," he told Idnes. "I
talked with the coach Benitez recently and he told me
squarely he doesn't want me to extend my contract.
Smicer believes international colleague Milan Baros could
also be on his way out of Anfield.
"He told me he doesn't remember a match in which he played
the whole 90 minutes,"
he explained.
(Sky Sports)
Four Reds released
Liverpool players Paul Harrison, Richie Partridge, Jon
Otsemobor and Mark Smyth have been released by the club.
Fellow youngsters Daniel O'Donnell, Danny Guthrie, Paul
Willis, Ryan Wilkie and James Smith have been offered new
deals and will remain at Melwood next season.
(This is Anfield)
Rafa ready for summer reshuffle
Rafael Benitez is making the very best of what he has at
Liverpool - for this season at least.
Liverpool's position outside the top four is, as the
Spaniard has already said, "not acceptable" and major
changes are planned.
The triumph of even reaching the Champions League final has
coloured the reality of the problems Benitez faces.
If Liverpool do win the Champions League and are allowed
back into next season's competition as holders, Benitez will
be more than aware of how attractive his Spanish revolution
on Merseyside will look to players in La Liga.
He said: "Every agent in Spain is trying talk up the price
of their players, I do not like to talk about changes and
new players but if you are asking whether there will be
changes in the squad, the answer is 'yes.' We are planning
for next season already."
(TEAMtalk)
Gerrard to miss Villa clash
Steven Gerrard will miss Sunday's final game of the season
against Aston Villa with a minor thigh injury.
With the Champions League final less than two weeks away
manager Rafa Benitez is not prepared to take chances with
the fitness of his players for a league game with little
riding on it.
Midfielder Luis Garcia also has a thigh problem and will
also have the weekend off as the Reds look to end their
league campaign with a victory.
With the match meaningless in terms of the challenge for
fourth place, Benitez has admitted he will make changes to
his team with one eye on the final with AC Milan.
(LFC Official Website)
Cisse aims for dream finish
Djibril Cisse will start against Aston Villa for the first
time since his comeback, with the gauntlet thrown down to
force himself into the Champions League Final.
Manager Rafa Benitez still hasn't decided who will start in
attack in Turkey, and Milan Baros' outspoken comments
earlier this week have improved Cisse's chances of getting
the nod.
"The game against Aston Villa will give a lot of players who
haven't had a lot of football an opportunity," said
Benitez..
(Liverpool Echo)
Villa linked with shock swoop for
Liverpool's Czech star
Milan Baros is a surprise summer target for Aston Villa boss
David O'Leary
O'Leary has been given a large transfer kitty to spend in
the summer and a goalscorer is top of his shopping list.
(Fans FC)
Crespo worried
AC Milan star Hernan Crespo has warned his team-mates not to
take Champions League glory for granted later this month.
The Italians will be favourites to beat Liverpool in
Istanbul, but Crespo was impressed with the way the Reds
disposed of Juventus and Chelsea on their way to the final
and admits they will be a hard team to defeat.
He said: "They are a really strong side and it won't be easy
to beat them.
"Considering Liverpool's capabilities in defence, against
Juve and Chelsea, we will have to manage the match.
"We need to be attentive, not to be surprised by them
because they have
dangerous players."
(anfield-online)
We must forget Final, says Finnan
Liverpool's Steve Finnan insists they must not allow the
upcoming Champions League final to distract them from
Sunday's game with Aston Villa.
Having hoped to finish fourth and earn a Champions League
place, Liverpool may now end up finishing as low as seventh.
"Of course that's in the back of our minds. We can't say
we're not thinking about it but we must be as professional
as possible this weekend," he said.
"There's competition for final places. We want to give
something to the fans."
(BBC Sport Online)
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Thor Zakariassen
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