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SUNDAY 24 |
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Jose warns Liverpool of Robben return
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho warned Liverpool that Arjen
Robben will be ready to light up Wednesday's Champions
League semi-final tie at Stamford Bridge.
Robben made his long-awaited return from injury in the
weekend 3-1 victory against Fulham, which put the Blues
within touching distance of the title.
With Joe Cole going off injured at half-time, the Dutchman
has every chance of starting his first club game for 11
weeks against Liverpool in the first leg encounter.
"Arjen will be better for Wednesday. He can train on Sunday,
Monday and Tuesday, so he has three more days to get his
confidence back and be more comfortable on the pitch,"
declared Mourinho.
"Of course, he is a very important option for us as he's a
special player."
(Football 365)
Benitez hands out Gerrard warning
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has warned Steven Gerrard
that he could lose his star status if he switches to Chelsea
next season.
The 24-year-old midfielder has been hotly tipped for a
big-money move to Stamford Bridge in the summer.
But Benitez said: "At Liverpool, he is the star but
elsewhere he will be just one more player.
"I don't know if he is wise to change these things - to
change from being a star to being just another player."
Benitez added: "We always hear rumours about Steve but he
has a lot of positive things around here, like the money and
the backing of the supporters.
"But it can change and maybe with another club he will lose
some of these things."
(BBC Sport Online)
Rafa: We are underdogs against Chelsea
Rafael Benitez says Chelsea will be favourites when
Liverpool meet them in the semi-final of the Champions
League but insists that the Reds won't be afraid of Jose
Mourinho's men.
"We are the underdogs because Chelsea are one of the best
teams in the world. If you spend 200 million on players then
you should win the trophies."
(LFC Official Website)
Johnson's head exploits Benitez bloomer
Rafael Benitez needs an enormous improvement from his
Liverpool side in the first leg of the Champions' League
semi-final at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday following this
stunning defeat by relegation-threatened Crystal Palace here
yesterday.
Andrew Johnson's 35th-minute goal was enough to give Palace
three vital points that lifted them out of the Premiership
relegation zone, but Benitez must be regretting his decision
to rest some of his key players.
The gifted Spanish playmaker Xabi Alonso - who Benitez
claimed was injured - was not even on the bench, and John
Arne Riise only came on as a second-half substitute. Luis
Garcia had a thigh injury and Igor Biscan was rested.
Liverpool also missed the chance to close the gap on Everton
- who could only draw 1-1 at home to Birmingham - in the
race to qualify for next season's Champions' League. They
are now four points behind their Merseyside neighbours.
(The Independent) |
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SATURDAY 23 |
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Gerrard not on Gunners list
Arsene Wenger has ruled Arsenal out of a summer move for
Steven Gerrard, admitting he could not afford to challenge
Chelsea for the England midfielder even if Liverpool are
persuaded to sell.
Wenger vowed, however, that Arsenal will rival any other
English club - apart from Chelsea - in the summer transfer
market as he pledged to splash out on at least two
established players.
Wenger nevertheless insisted: "I'm not especially after
Steven Gerrard.
"I wouldn't say no but I know from the start that he would
not go from Liverpool for less than £30m. Therefore I don't
even envisage buying him for one second."
(TEAMtalk)
Symons defends Palace
Crystal Palace assistant manager Kit Symons has hit back at
Rafa Benitez's comments about the physical nature of his
side.
However, Symons believes his side never stepped over the
line and on the contrary, pointed to the booking count as an
indicator as to how the afternoon had unfolded.
"Look at the bookings count," said Symons. "Five of their
players were booked, and only two of ours."
(Sky Sports)
Rafa: Football wasn't possible
Angry Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has hit out at Crystal
Palace's physical style after his side suffered a deeply
disappointing defeat at Selhurst Park today.
Andy Johnson's 33rd minute strike was enough to give Iain
Dowie's strugglers the points, but Benitez felt that
Palace's tactics made it impossible for his side to play
football.
He said, "I am very disappointed with the result, but we
tried to play and sometimes this isn't possible.
"We knew they would be very physical, but ask Milan Baros
about how physical they were. He has problems all over his
body. Watch the TV and you will see what I mean."
(LFC Offficial Website)
Diarra willing to return
French starlet Alou Diarra has announced for the first time
that he is willing to return to Liverpool. Before this, the
former Bayern Munich man has been quoted many times as
saying that he prefers to stay at his current club Lens who
loaned him for the season.
"I feel much at ease at Lens," Diarra told L'Equipe.
"The club has allowed me to improve, become steady and show
myself. The group has a great future, but I still have two
years on my contract with Liverpool."
"If that great club wants to call me back and above all
trust me, it is also attractive."
Diarra has yet to play a game for Liverpool since arriving
from Germany in July 2002 but since moving on loan this last
year, he has gained international recognition with France
and was made the skipper of Racing Club Lens.
(talkfc.com)
Crystal Palace v Liverpool - confirmed
team
LIVERPOOL: Dudek, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Pellegrino,
Traore, Gerrard, Welsh, Le Tallec, Baros, Morientes.
SUBS: Carson, Riise, Cisse, Biscan, Potter.
(Kop Talk)
Summer break cut short as Rafa reveals his
plans
Rafael Benitez has instructed his players that pre-season
training this summer will begin two weeks earlier than
normal.
Despite the fact the current campaign still has possibly
another month left to run the Liverpool boss is already
looking ahead to 2005/06.
He is determined to mount a stronger bid for the Premiership
title and believes cutting short the closed-season break
will help his quest.
"We've told the players our idea is to start pre-season on
June 27 at Melwood," says Benitez.
"We will spend some time there and then head for another
country. We are thinking of heading to Switzerland for a
training camp.
"We need to train harder at the start and change the culture
of pre-season here. If we sign new players after June 27,
they will have to start afresh.
"But I want all the players to show the right mentality from
the very beginning of pre-season and this will make it
easier for them throughout the rest of the year.
"I'm sure you will see a fitter, stronger Liverpool next
season."
(LFC Official Website)
Gallas back to face Reds
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has revealed William Gallas
will be fit to face Liverpool next week.
The French defender missed The Blues' clash against Fulham
at Stamford Bridge this weekend with a back injury.
However, Gallas will return for Chelsea's crucial UEFA
Champions League tie against The Reds on Wednesday.
"He's injured, he's been injured for a few games," explained
Mourinho to Sky Sports 1.
"He played against Arsenal because he's a strong character
and we needed him a lot.
"He'll be ready to play against Liverpool next week."
(Sky Sports) |
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FRIDAY 22 |
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Rafa: Bootroom legends spur us on
Rafael Benitez has promised Liverpool will be "a lot closer"
to the top of the table next season - as he admitted looking
to the Reds' bootroom legends for inspiration to help him
achieve his Anfield dream.
The Reds are currently in a tense battle for fourth place as
they bid to claim the final Champions League spot for next
season, but the boss is already planning for the future and
admits the prospect of following in the footsteps of
Shankly, Paisley, Fagan, Evans, Moran and Dalglish serves as
a great motivation.
He said: "I hope we can have the same success because they
made history and we have yet to achieve that.
"Those people are spoken about a lot here, they are
institutions and for that reason they are the mirror in
which we look at ourselves."
(LFC Official Website)
Hamann out of Euro tie
Rafa Benitez has ruled out a return for Dietmar
Hamann for Liverpool's UEFA Champions League tie with
Chelsea.
Hamann has not played for The Reds since he suffered a knee
injury in last month's Merseyside derby with Everton at
Anfield.
He was initially expected to be only sidelined for a month
and it was hoped he would be fit for the semi-final showdown
with Chelsea.
But the Germany international has failed to recover
sufficiently enough to be available for either leg of the
Champions League tie.
Benitez acknowledged Hamann will not be fit and also
confirmed Harry Kewell would not be available for selection
for the games with The Blues.
(Sky Sports)
Eto'o: I rejected Liverpool transfer
Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o says he rejected a possible
move to Anfield last summer because of his desire to play at
the Nou Camp.
Former boss Gerard Houllier tried to sign the player and the
offer made to him was left open after Ged stood down to make
way for Rafael Benitez.
Eto'o said: "Although they offered me €6 million a season,
there are more important things than money. Happiness does
not have a price. You can't buy someone's happiness. I know
because I left a place in which I did not laugh much, where
everything seemed grey (Real Madrid)."
He also joked: "Everyone knows about the weather they have
in England!"
(Kop Talk)
Kewell decision imminent
Liverpool midfielder Harry Kewell will return to Melwood
next week after receiving treatment in Spain from a top
physio known personally by Rafael Benitez.
The Australian international is due to fly back to England
on Monday and a decision will then be made as to whether or
not he is to have an operation to try and solve his chronic
groin problems or if continued manipulation and general
treatment is likely to work.
Kewell's international team-mate Lucas Neill says the Kop
flop is desperate to play for Australia in June's
Confederations Cup in Germany but an operation would rule
him out.
Neill said: "He definitely wants to play because he has not
played a lot of soccer in the last couple of months.
"He said a long time ago to me this was a very important
tournament for Australia because it is the next best thing
to the World Cup and a great way to prepare as a team for a
tournament.
"He definitely wants to be involved but if he goes under the
knife he is a no-go."
If Kewell delays surgery until after the Confederations Cup
it is likely that he's miss the start of Liverpool's season
and that will stress Rafa out who has become tired
of the situation.
(Kop Talk)
Queudrue tempted by interest
Liverpool and Paris Saint Germain are both understood to be
keeping tabs on Middlesbrough defender Franck Queudrue, who
admits a move to another club could bolster his
international ambitions.
The enigmatic full back has been one of Boro's best players
this season and he has been a consistent performer since
arriving at the club from Lens in 2001.
"I have no real propositions, but recently I heard about
Liverpool's and Paris Saint Germain's interest.
"That is rumours and my agent has not received a call."
(Sky Sports)
Juve plaque is set for Anfield
A permanent reminder of this month's first meetings of
Liverpool and Juventus since the Heysel disaster is to be
displayed at Anfield.
A plaque to commemorate the recent Champions League games in
Liverpool and Turin was being presented at Anfield today. It
is a replica of one presented to Juve before last week's
home tie.
Produced by sculptor Garry White, the plaque will have pride
of place in the Anfield boardroom.
(Liverpool Echo)
Xabi set for welcome rest
Xabi Alonso is set to take a well-earned break as Liverpool
take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
The Spanish midfielder has been in inspirational form since
his return from a broken ankle, but is likely to be named on
the bench as Rafael Benitez keeps him in reserve for next
week's trip to Chelsea.
The Reds boss is expected to restore skipper Steven Gerrard
to the starting line-up after resting him to the bench at
Portsmouth to protect a groin problem.
Luis Garcia (thigh) is the only injury concern. The
attacking midfielder sustained the injury during Wednesday's
2-1 victory at Fratton Park where he scored the winner, his
12th of the season for the Anfield club.
Liverpool (from): Dudek, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia,
Pellegrino, Traore, Luis Garcia, Biscan, Gerrard, Xabi
Alonso, Riise, Morientes, Cisse, Baros, Smicer, Nunez,
Carson, Welsh.
(TEAMtalk)
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Thor Zakariassen
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