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MONDAY 21 |
Benitez is ready to silence doubters
Rafa Benitez left for Athens today insisting a second
Champions League win in three seasons would finally earn his
team the respect they deserve across Europe.
The Anfield boss has two major trophies in two years to his
name since moving to the club, but recently he’s had to
brush off several withering comments from various sources.
Last week, the AC Milan management and players joined in the
criticism of Liverpool’s playing style.
Even Pele got in on the act over the weekend, dismissing the
Reds’ as a counter attacking team, but Benitez is confident
his side will respond in the right way.
“There are a lot of people who are talking about Liverpool
recently who don’t know the club,” said Benitez.
“Maybe they are too young to recognise our achievements, or
maybe they just don’t understand football."
(Liverpool Echo)
Bellamy brushes off speculation
Craig Bellamy has admitted to enduring a difficult first
season at Liverpool, but has brushed off speculation
surrounding his future at Anfield.
The Welsh flyer has shown only flashes of quality this term
and reports suggest he could be offloaded by Rafa Benitez
this summer.
Bellamy, who is hopeful of featuring in Wednesday's UEFA
Champions League final with Milan, says he is unfazed by
reports about his future at the club.
"If people know my career, they will know how often I have
been the subject of transfer speculation," said the forward.
"It happens to me all the time. I was even supposed to be
off in January just a few months after signing for
Liverpool.
"I'm used to it. No matter where I have been, whatever club.
It was always the same at Newcastle, it was the same at
Blackburn and Norwich and even Celtic. I have always
seemingly been about to be off somewhere."
(Sky Sports)
Pirlo eyes Reds revenge
Andrea Pirlo is looking for Milan to claim revenge over
Liverpool on Wednesday.
Pirlo was part of the Milan team defeated by Liverpool in
the UEFA Champions League final two years ago in Istanbul.
Now, as the two sides prepare to meet again, this time in
Athens, Pirlo is determined to avoid a repeat performance.
"That final remained in our minds for a long time," Pirlo
stressed.
(Sky Sports)
McClaren: England trio can star in Athens
England coach Steve McClaren believes England trio Steven
Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Peter Crouch will star in the
Champions League final.
The Liverpool squad flew out to Greece on Monday morning
looking to repeat their victory over AC Milan of two years
ago and claim a sixth European Cup.
And McClaren pointed to Gerrard and Carragher in particular
as being key to the Reds' plans in Greece.
"I think they are the most influential players on the field
and they epitomise what Liverpool is all about and how the
manager goes about his business," he said.
(TEAMtalk)
Fandel given final task
Experienced German referee Herbert Fandel will officiate
Wednesday's Champions League final between Liverpool and AC
Milan in Athens.
Fandel, 43, was the man in the middle during Liverpool's
last 16 second leg 1-0 defeat by Barcelona at Anfield in
March in which he booked four home players.
He has previously referee two other Champions League matches
involving Liverpool and five more for their final opponents
Milan.
(Football UK)
Crouch excited by final outing
Peter Crouch cannot wait to get his first taste of action in
a UEFA Champions
League final.
While his future Liverpool team-mates were celebrating a
famous comeback against Milan in Istanbul in 2005, the giant
striker was watching on television in Chicago.
Crouch moved to Anfield the summer following the European
success and was always hopeful The Reds could make the final
again.
"I remember thinking what a fantastic stage it was to play
on, so to actually have a chance of repeating that is the
best part of it," he told The Independent.
Crouch is likely to once again be linked with a summer
transfer from Liverpool, but the former Southampton man has
stated his desire to stay.
"I don't want to go anywhere, I'm happy," he added. "I have
had a fantastic two years, I won the FA Cup in the first
year and I hope I can add the Champions League."
(Sky Sports)
Gerrard, Carragher deals imminent
Liverpool will not announce new deals for England stars
Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher until after their
Champions League final clash with AC Milan in Athens on
Wednesday night.
Captain Gerrard and Carragher are believed to be poised to
sign new long-year deals with the club.
But Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry said this morning:
"Nothing will happen until after the final."
Both players have spoken about wanting to end their playing
days at Anfield, despite being able to buy out their
contracts under new rules introduced by Fifa.
(Ireland. com)
Reds fan Morgan buys Wolves
Liverpool fan Steve Morgan, who twice tried to buy the Reds
in 2004, has taken over Wolves after buying 100% of
president Sir Jack Hayward's shares.
Hayward will sell all of the shares for one £10 payment on
the condition Morgan invests £30m in Wolves.
A deal will go through in June with Morgan becoming
chairman, and manager Mick McCarthy and chief executive Jez
Moxey keeping their jobs.
Millionaire Morgan made his fortune after launching building
firm Redrow. He sold his majority shareholding in Redrow in
2000, and is now chairman of the Bridgemere Group of
Companies, Harrow Estates plc, and Salamanca Finance plc.
(Liverpool Daily Post)
Bolton enter Hyypia race
Bolton Wanderers are in the race to sign Liverpool defender
Sami Hyypia.
According to the Daily Mail newspaper, the 33-year-old
Finnish international will hold talks with Liverpool about
his future after Wednesday's Champions League final against
AC Milan, but is expected to leave Anfield.
(World Wide Wanderers)
Liverpool closing in on £20m Tevez
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez wants to splash a large part of
his club’s Champions League cash on West Ham’s controversial
striker Carlos Tevez.
Benitez believes he holds a powerful bargaining tool – as
Tevez’s former Corinthians and West Ham team-mate Javier
Mascherano is already at Anfield.
Tevez could cost £20million and Liverpool will step up their
discreet moves to land him after Wednesday night’s final in
Athens against AC Milan.
They are ready to wrap up a £12m move for Mascherano and
want to make it
an Argentine double.
(Daily Express) |
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SUNDAY 20 |
Alonso axe shows Rafa's ruthless
Xabi Alonso is bracing himself for the crushing
disappointment of missing out on a Champions League starting
spot in Athens on Wednesday.
Alonso has generally been viewed as one of the central
components of Rafael Benitez's Red revolution at Anfield, so
much so that Liverpool's coach felt the presence of his
fellow Spaniard in central midfield was worth shunting
skipper Steven Gerrard to the right wing.
Yet, to many of his players' amazement, Alonso was axed for
the second leg of the semi-final win over Chelsea, a move
which allowed Gerrard to switch inside and partner new-boy
Javier Mascherano.
And, while it has been difficult to work out Benitez's plans
for this week's showdown with AC Milan because of the vast
number of changes he has made since the shoot-out success
against Chelsea, the wise opinion seems to be falling on
Alonso being consigned to the bench.
(PA Sport)
Milan duo in fight to face Reds
AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti faces an attacking dilemma
ahead of the Champions League final against Liverpool in
Athens on Wednesday.
Ancelotti sent out a reserve side in Saturday night's 3-2
home league defeat by Udinese with the intention of having
his top stars fit for the repeat with Rafael Benitez's side.
The Rossoneri cannot play Ronaldo, who is cup-tied due to
his earlier involvement with Real Madrid, and Brazilian
Ricardo Oliveira is out of form, so Ancelotti has to decide
who will partner Kaka up front.
Veteran Italy forward Filippo Inzaghi could be the man
Ancelotti relies on to fire his side past the Reds, with the
33-year-old having more experience in key games than his
fellow World Cup winner Alberto Gilardino.
"I have not made my decision yet on the attacking front,"
said Ancelotti.
(TEAMtalk)
Hyypia hints at Reds exit
Sami Hyypia has confirmed he will sit down and discuss his
future with Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez after Wednesday's
UEFA Champions League final.
The Finn has given sterling service to The Reds since
joining the club from Willem II in 1999.
Hyypia is aware the writing could be on the wall for him at
Anfield, but will put his future on hold until after
Wednesday's meeting with Milan.
"I understand the situation and it's no problem," Hyypia
told the News of the World.
"I still have one year here, but if I want to do something
about it in the summer, after the Champions League final is
the time to talk to the manager about what is going to
happen.
"If the manager wants to sign a new centre-back, I think
that's a sign for me I won't be playing much.
"After the final I will sit down, think it over and see what
happens."
(Sky Sports)
Kaka wants United repeat
Kaka is looking for Milan to repeat their
performance against Manchester United in their UEFA
Champions League final with Liverpool, in order to help him
'write his name
in history'.
The Brazilian has been Milan's shining light this term and
has been billed as the best player in the world.
"What happened in 2005 has already happened and I think this
game is another chance to write my name in history and
Milan's name in history," Kaka told Sky Sports News.
"If we can play the same as against Manchester, we can win
this game."
(Sky Sports)
Gerrard ready for Gattuso test
Steven Gerrard is ready to lock horns with Gennaro Gattuso
on Wednesday, but the Liverpool skipper says his focus is
not solely on the tough-tackling Milan man.
Gerrard claims Gattuso 'is as scary as a kitten' and these
comments have not sat well with the Rossoneri star.
"I am not preparing to play against Gattuso, I am preparing
to play against AC Milan," Gerrard said on Sky Sports News.
(Sky Sports)
Giggs: Beware Milan hunger
Ryan Giggs says Liverpool must weather AC Milan's
revenge-driven storm if they are to claim a second Champions
League crown in three years.
The Manchester United winger saw first-hand how dangerous
the Italians can be when they dumped his team out in the
semi-finals.
Although Giggs expects Liverpool to be tougher to defeat
than United proved in the second leg at the San Siro, where
they lost 3-0, he predicted Milan will come out all guns
blazing in Athens.
(TEAMtalk)
Momo's help for Mali children
Liverpool midfielder Momo Sissoko has been talking about his
commitment towards improving the lives of the people living
in his family's home village. His parents were originally
from the village of Bendougou in Mali before they moved to
France, and although Momo's never been there before he's
been helping out financially since he made it as a player.
He sends clothing, shoes and money to help the children of
the village and is hoping to go to the village this summer
for the first time. Momo told the Sunday People: "It is
important that I send what I can and help the children now I
can because they have nothing. I have never been there, but
I am going for the first time this summer with my brother."
He's expecting it to be s moving experience: "I know it will
be very emotional for me to meet the children I am trying to
help because they are really poor. They send me letters and
pictures of themselves; sometimes I speak with the children
on the telephone. But to actually be there will be
wonderful."
The player feels it's vital he does this: "I do this because
I want to make a difference. There is so much poverty there.
It is important that people like me try to do something that
can help them."
(Anfield Road.com) |
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SATURDAY 19 |
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Kuyt: I want medal for my sick father
Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt has vowed to return from Athens
with a Champions League winners’ medal for his ill father.
Kuyt’s dad Gerrit is fighting stomach cancer and will not be
able to go to Wednesday’s final against AC Milan despite
being a regular visitor to Anfield this season.
"Unfortunately, my dad won’t come to the final because the
travelling would be too much," said Kuyt. "He will watch the
game at my place and, hopefully, we can bring the cup home
and celebrate together."
(Daily Mail)
Anceoltti: Pressure is mounting
AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti insists his players are
beginning to feel the pressure ahead of the UEFA Champions
League final against Liverpool on Wednesday.
The Rossoneri take on Rafael Benitez' side in Athens in a
re-run of the thrilling 2005 final, which Liverpool won on
penalties - but first they have the distraction of
Saturday's Serie A clash with Udinese at the San Siro.
"The pressure is there because it's a very important game,
the whole world will be watching and we want to put on a
good show," Ancelotti told the club's official website.
"The game really counts in the tradition and the philosophy
of this club which considers the Champions Cup the greatest
objective and the most important competition."
(Sporting Life)
Finnan keen to stay a Red
Steve Finnan has become the latest Liverpool star to
announce that he wants to stay at the club for the rest of
his career.
Finnan, a £3.5million signing from Fulham four years ago,
has held off constant threats to his position in the side
under both Gerard Houllier and now Rafael Benitez, and is
now in talks over extending his deal at Anfield.
And he said: "I am very happy here and want to stay here as
long as I can. Hopefully I can finish my career here and we
can sort out a contract.
"But first things first, we have got to get the final out of
the way and then we will see what happens.
"But there is no doubt that I want to stay here. The club
has come on a lot in the past three years. You only have to
look at the finals that we have been to."
He added: "The league title is the main priority for
everyone here. It would be terrific if we could achieve
that."
(TEAMtalk)
Parry sympathy over final tickets
Rick Parry has expressed "regret" over ticketing for the
Champions League final which left loyal fans with a less
than 30% chance of success.
Many Reds season-ticket holders have reacted angrily to the
unavailability of tickets for Wednesday's rematch with AC
Milan in Athens.
Parry admits the controversy has "cast a shadow" over
Liverpool's achievement for many supporters and has been
moved to explain the difficulties faced by the club.
"I want again to express my regret over the heartache
experienced by so many of our supporters in missing out on a
ticket they deserve," Parry added.
"I wish you could all have a ticket.
"I can only assure all those fans that we did our best with
the very limited number of tickets we were given and at all
times we have been consistent and fair."
(TEAMtalk)
Thor Zakariassen
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