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TUESDAY 24 |
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Crespo major doubt for final
Hernan Crespo's participation in Wednesday's UEFA Champions
League final has been thrown into real doubt after the
player limped out of training.
The Milan striker, on a season's loan from Chelsea, has been
struggling with a hamstring injury but had been thought to
be fit to play.
Rossoneri chief Carlo Ancelotti had gone as far as to say
Crespo would definitely start in Istanbul but his selection
now appears to be in major jeopardy.
''Hernan will play from the beginning,'' said Ancelotti.
''We will evaluate his situation after the final.
''I think that we will find a solution because it is the
player's and the club's will that he will stay.''
Milan have not issued any kind of statement with regards to
Crespo's fitness but it is thought that the club's medics
will run the rule over the Argentine on Tuesday evening.
(Sky Sports)
Hyypia: We can start 'new era'
Sami Hyypia believes a Champions League triumph for
Liverpool tomorrow will kick-start another golden European
era for the club.
Hyypia, who must stop Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko in the
Ataturk Stadium, has been at Anfield six years and knows
about the magnificent history of Britain's most successful
club.
"Learning the history is good and a lot of the old players
are giving us their support," said the 31-year-old.
"Now I believe that when we win this trophy it will be the
start of a good era and all the players here will be in the
history books.
"That would kick-start the club to win more things and
everyone knows that the club is in good hands with this
manager (Rafael Benitez).
"For us it is important that there is someone in charge who
knows his football. That has got us to the later stages of
this tournament."
The Finland centre-back knows he, along with several
colleagues, may never come this close to glory again,
adding: "It will be my only chance to win this cup and I do
not intend to let it slip away easily."
(TEAMtalk)
Gerrard hits out at critics
Steven Gerrard insists Liverpool deserve to be in the
Champions League final and is looking forward to proving the
critics wrong by leading the Reds to success on Wednesday
against AC Milan.
The Liverpool captain is unhappy about comments he has read
criticising the side's style of play and thinks the carping
is unwarranted.
Several Milan players have derided Liverpool's defensive
tactics, but Gerrard is determined to show the Reds' true
talents on the pitch.
"There's a lot been said about us in the build-up to the
game, saying we play this way or that," he said.
"To be honest, I don't give a damn what anyone thinks if we
win this trophy.
"Look at our record in the tournament. We've beaten the
Italian and English champions, scored some fantastic goals
and, as far as I'm concerned, played some great football to
fully deserve our place in the final.
"If we beat AC Milan, another one of the best teams in
Europe, we'll have won it on merit and if the boys bring the
cup home on Thursday, you won't find a single Liverpool fan
in the world caring what anybody else has got to say about
it."
(4thegame.com)
Cisse and Kewell to lead the attack
Rafael Benitez is expected to select Djibril Cisse and Harry
Kewell to lead Liverpool's front line in Istanbul.
Milan Baros, who's future is in doubt after comments made
about a possible move in the summer, is expected to make way
for Kewell.
Dietmar Hamann, Xabi Alonso and Steven Gerrard will attempt
to control the midfield, while Steve Finnan, Sami Hyypia,
Jamie Carragher and Djimi Traore are expected to line up
infront of Jerzy Dudek.
(LFC Online)
Cisse back in French squad for Hungary
friendly
Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse is back in the
France squad to face Hungary in a friendly after a lengthy
absence while he recovered from a broken leg.
Coach Raymond Domenech includes the striker in a squad that
is without a World Cup winner for the first time in seven
years.
Cisse, who will face AC Milan in the Champions League final
on Wednesday, has not played for France since he replaced
Thierry Henry late on in France's 3-0 victory over Israel in
a Euro 2004 qualifier in October 2003.
The former AJ Auxerre player missed Euro 2004 after being
handed a four-match ban for kicking an opponent during an
under-21 international against Portugal in November 2003.
He then broke his leg in a Premier League game against
Blackburn Rovers in October last year, resulting in a
six-month spell on the sidelines.
(Reuters)
Hamann denies Bolton deal
Dietmar Hamann has flatly denied reports that he has already
agreed to join Bolton Wanderers.
The Liverpool midfielder is out of contract in the summer
and is unsure where his future lies.
Hamann is delaying any concrete talks on where he will play
next season until Liverpool's UEFA Champions League final is
out of the way.
Hamann has stressed that nothing has been agreed with The
Trotters and concedes there could be interest from other
clubs.
"We are neither united in an agreement nor have I signed
something," Hamann told Sport 1. "That is still open.
"Also, another entirely different club can come in for me.
Anything is possible."
Hamann also refused to rule out a return to Die Bundesliga,
having spent the past seven years in The Premiership
following his move to Newcastle United from Bayern Munich.
He added: "Yes [my options] also include Die Bundesliga."
The anchor man has made 250 appearances for The Reds since
his £8 million switch from Newcastle in 1999 but the
Champions League final could prove to be his last outing for
the club.
(Planet Football/Sky Sports)
Vennegoor tells Liverpool to attack
PSV striker Jan Vennegoor says Liverpool should
attack AC Milan if they want to win the European Cup.
Milan only managed to overcome PSV on away goals, and the
Dutch side were very unlucky to lose having played the
better football over both legs of the semi-final.
"My message to Liverpool is don't be afraid," he said. "When
we played in Milan, we were a little in awe of them in the
first half but once we realised we were giving their
world-class players problems, we just played football.
"If Milan play like they did against us, Liverpool have a
great chance but it's vital for them not to give away any
space because Milan can score with one chance.
"My advice would be to play down the flanks and push the
full-backs on. What Liverpool must not do is play through
the air because with Stam and Nesta, they'll get nowhere. If
they play it on the ground, it's at least a 50-50 game."
(LFC Online)
Cisse: Rafa better than Jose
Djibril Cisse believes Rafael Benitez deserves to be ranked
in the same high company as Jose Mourinho after guiding
Liverpool to the UEFA Champions League final.
On a number of levels, Cisse even feels Benitez has the edge
over the manager who helped Porto to UEFA Cup and Champions
League success before moving to Chelsea last summer.
Cisse said of the comparison: "Rafa is one of the best
coaches I have had.
"He is very clever and knows how to adapt to different
systems. With Guy Roux, my boss at Auxerre, he is the best
coach I have worked under.
"And I think he is maybe even better than Mourinho, he is
certainly more humble.
"Sometimes it is good to be confident - but not too much.
"Sometimes a coach needs to shout, but Rafa knows when to be
nice and when to be strong. He gives players just what they
need."
(ITV Football)
Spain turns red for Liverpool
Antonio Nunez believes the quality of Mersey will stretch to
Spain on Wednesday when the Champions League final gets
underway.
The 26-year-old winger insists that red will be the colour
in his homeland when Liverpool face AC Milan in the Istanbul
showdown.
Sangria rather than scouse is today's flavour at Anfield
following the arrival of Spanish coach Rafael Benitez and a
host of players from that nation.
Nunez said: "When my friends call they say that we are the
only Spanish team in Europe.
"They are happy for me and give me a lot of support.
"They feel this is their team, now Barcelona and Real Madrid
have been knocked out.
"I know a lot of Spanish people want Liverpool to lift the
trophy."
(TEAMtalk)
Benitez cool on Shevchenko threat
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez says they have no
special plans to combat the threat of AC Milan's Andriy
Shevchenko in the Champions League final.
Shevchenko poses the main danger to Liverpool's hopes in
Istanbul, but Benitez said: "If you only see Shevchenko it's
a big mistake.
"They have a lot of good players and you must consider them
all.
"We must look at all the players and be aware of them all.
We cannot afford to just keep our eyes on Shevchenko."
Benitez was in confident mood in Istanbul, dismissing claims
that Liverpool have been fortunate to reach the final.
He said: "I will say again that if anyone wants to look at
our videos of the Champions League games, they will see we
have played very well."
(BBC Sport Online)
Silvio: Milan too classy
Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi believes that his side will
have too much class for Liverpool. The Italian giants face
Rafa Benitez's Reds in Istanbul on Wednesday as firm
favourites to lift the trophy for a seventh time.
Berlusconi says that Liverpool have been tactically astute
to make their way to the final, but says Milan will have too
much class for the Merseysiders.
"Liverpool are very clever with their tactics but they are
not as good as Milan when it comes to pure class," said
Berlusconi.
(Sky Sports)
Baros drops exit hint
Liverpool striker Milan Baros believes Wednesday's Champions
League final could herald the end of his Anfield career.
The Czech forward could lose his place in the starting
line-up to Djibril Cisse and it was revealed on Tuesday that
his agent, Pavel Paska, has been in talks with other clubs
over a move at the end of the season.
Baros told the Daily Mirror: "I have had several offers from
other clubs and it is now the job of my agent Pavel to talk
to them.
"I am calm about my future and I can concentrate fully on
the Champions League final.
"Maybe I will leave Anfield, maybe I will stay.
"We will listen to what is offered.
"But my main aim at the moment is that I can keep my place
ahead of Cisse for the final against Milan, and I will do my
best to make that happen."
(TEAMtalk)
Liverpool must build base for victory
Liverpool's hopes of winning the Champions League final
against AC Milan rest largely on how they keep their
defensive line - get it right and they win, get it wrong and
they lose.
It is as easy - or as difficult - as that.
Liverpool must not defend too high up the pitch, otherwise
the pace of Andriy Shevchenko will cut them to pieces.
And they must not defend too deep, otherwise they will not
be in a position to give support to people further forward.
The evidence of the games against Juventus and Chelsea, when
they have defended quite magnificently on the edge of their
18-yard area, makes me optimistic that my old club can pull
of an historic fifth win and take the trophy back to Anfield
on a permanent basis.
What a position for Liverpool to be in. What a chance this
is for those Liverpool players to put their names alongside
the club's legends.
(Alan Hansen - BBC Sport football expert )
Benitez puts faith in Cissé
as Baros is sidelined for Milan game
Liverpool will put their faith in the "miracle" recovery of
the French striker Djibril Cissé when they attempt to become
champions of Europe for the fifth time , here against Milan
tomorrow.
That was the word from the Liverpool party as it flew in
last night on the last leg of a campaign which many would
say is as miraculous as the recovery of Cissé from a broken
leg.
A source close to the Anfield inner circle said that the
coach, Rafael Benitez, had been amazed by the recovery of
Cissé, and his powerful running is reckoned to be a more
potent weapon than Milan Baros, who has mostly misfired
since his brilliant run in last summer's European
Championships.
Benitez seems certain to go with the 4-5-1 formation which
has stunned Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus and Chelsea. Dietmar
Hamann's shrewd reading of a game is expected to give him
the nod ahead of Igor Biscan
Liverpool (probable): Dudek; Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia,
Traoré; Luis Garcia, Alonso, Gerrard, Hamman, Riise; Cissé.
(The Independent) |
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MONDAY 23 |
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Liverpool get frenzied airport reception
Liverpool’s players arrived in Istanbul tonight for
Wednesday’s Champions League final against AC Milan to a
frenzied reception at the airport.
Police linked arms to escort the team through a throng of
fans and camera crews. Supporters pressed forward, taking
pictures and shouting encouragement as the players were
shepherded across the concourse by dozens of officers.
A few minutes earlier, large numbers of Reds fans arrived on
a flight from
Cologne, Germany.
(Ireland On-Line)
Garcia revelling in Rafa-lution
Luis Garcia steps onto the Champions League final stage
already Liverpool's top scorer in the competition and
grateful that boss Rafa Benitez never forgot the youngster
he had under his command in Tenerife.
The Spanish international, initially dismissed as too
lightweight for the Premier League when he arrived last
summer for £6million from Barcelona, has already grabbed the
headlines thanks to the spectacular goals he has scored to
fire the Anfield club into Wednesday's final against AC
Milan in Istanbul.
"I first met Rafa six years ago in Tenerife. He gave me a
lot of confidence. He always believes in me and has always
tried to give me what a player needs, the confidence on the
pitch to do the right things.
"He has always been there to support me. He has been a
massive influence on my career and I hope I can play for him
for a long time."
(Sporting Life)
Gerrard hints at future
Steven Gerrard has hinted that his future lies with
Liverpool after speaking enthusiastically about the club
ahead of Wednesday's UEFA Champions League final.
Gerrard believes the club are progressing under Rafa Benitez
and it would appear that next season he will in likelihood
still be at Anfield.
"It's difficult to put our finger on what has gone wrong in
the league,'' said Gerrard.
"There are a few things that we need to improve on, we need
to get better as a team and I am sure the manager knows the
problems.
"It is not just one thing but I know the manager is the man
to get these things right."
(Planet Football/Sky Sports)
Rafa: 'We will have no fear'
Rafael Benitez has told his players that they "cannot be
afraid" going into Wednesday's Champions League final with
AC Milan.
The Liverpool manager is famous for his optimism - he
confidently predicted the Reds' win over Chelsea in the
semi-finals - and he says once again that they cannot afford
to consider defeat in Istanbul.
"We must go into this game with confidence and every player
must believe we can win," said Benitez before flying off to
Turkey with a fully-fit squad.
"As a player going into an important game, you must never be
afraid. If a player goes onto the pitch on Wednesday
thinking we will lose, that's what will happen.
"We know we are not favourites going into the match, but we
are in the final because we deserve to be. Now we're here,
we have nothing to lose and everything is possible."
(Football 365)
Carragher deserves reward
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez questioned why Jamie
Carragher was not in the Professional Footballers'
Association nominations for their player of the year - then
pointedly said the defender was the best centre-back in the
land anyway.
At the time it was easy to write off that sort of stuff as
being just a touch biased. But not now.
Carragher started the season unsure whether he would be
Liverpool's right-back or centre-back and admitted to being
worried by the arrival of Spanish defender Josemi -
Benitez's first signing for the club.
However, he will finish the campaign not just being told he
is England's best but recognised as one of Europe's true
giants.
(Sporting Life)
Owen staying with Bayern
Owen Hargreaves will not be leaving Bayern Munich over the
summer and will see out the remainder of his contract at the
club, according to general manager Uli Hoeness.
Hargreaves has been linked with a move to the Premiership
during the close season with both Liverpool and Tottenham
reportedly interested in the England midfielder.
However, Hoeness insists the player will stay in Germany
with the Bavarian outfit until his contract expires next
year.
"Owen is staying and that is the end of the matter," Hoeness
told Kicker magazine.
The future of the Canada-born 24-year-old has been the
subject of much speculation following a campaign in which he
was mainly used as a substitute by coach Felix Magath, as
Bayern ran away with the Bundesliga title.
Hargreaves has spent the last seven years at the club.
(TEAMtalk)
Reds release five
Richie Partridge and Jon Otsemobor are among five players
who have been told they will be released by Liverpool.
Partridge has always been thought of as a promising
Liverpool player of the future but the young Irishman has
struggled with injuries in recent seasons, limiting him to
just reserve and the odd Carling Cup outing.
Otsemobor came close to cementing a regular first-team place
under Gerard Houllier, with the young right back playing six
games before being loaned out to Bolton.
Otsemobor has been out on loan at Crewe this season and has
not had a look in under Rafa Benitez, and has now also been
released.
Also on their way out of Anfield are England Under-20
striker Mark Smyth and goalkeepers Paul Harrison and Patrice
Luzi.
(Sky Sports)
Liverpool head for Istanbul final
Liverpool's players have departed for Istanbul, where they
face AC Milan in Wednesday's Champions League final.
The Reds took off from John Lennon Airport with a
full-strength squad.
Favourites AC Milan have won the tournament six times - most
recently in 2003 - while the Reds are in the final for the
first time in 20 years.
But four-times winners Liverpool saw off newly-crowned
Italian champions Juventus and Premiership title winners
Chelsea to book their place in Turkey.
And Rafael Benitez's men will also take heart from the fact
that Milan were outplayed for long spells by PSV Eindhoven
in their semi-final.
(BBC Sport Online)
Baros and Smicer selected for international
duty
Liverpool duo Milan Baros and Vladimir Smicer have been
selected for international duty by the Czech Republic for
their World Cup qualifiers against Andorra on June 4th and
Macedonia on June 8th. Smicer, who turns 32 tomorrow,
returns after
a 10-month absence.
(Kop Talk)
Liverpool told to cough up £10million for
striker
Liverpool have been told by Crystal Palace to put £10million
on the table to have any chance of landing their striker
Andy Johnson in the summer.
Rafael Benitez has added Johnson as an option after
receiving positive feedback from his agent back in January
of this year. Back then Palace valued AJ much higher but
with them now dropping down into the Championship, Palace
know that they are vulnerable to approaches from interested
clubs.
Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan insists AJ isn't for
sale. He said: "We are not in a position where we need to
sell and he is a fundamental part of our team.
"He signed a five-year contract and has four years to go. He
can get the goals to get us back to the Premiership.
"He has a great relationship with me, a great relationship
with the manager and he is revered by the fans."
Despite Jordan's claims, reports state that he will sell if
an offer of £10million is received.
(Kop Talk)
Shevchenko praises Reds backline
AC Milan frontman Andriy Shevchenko has singled out
Liverpool's defence as key to Wednesday night's Champions
League final.
The Ukrainian international believes that the Liverpool
backline is the main strength of the Reds but insists his
Milan side will be prepared.
"It would be silly if we denied our strength just as it
would be equally stupid to underestimate Liverpool as they
have a backline that is almost impenetrable. Juve only
managed to score one goal and Chelsea failed to find the net
against them, which says it all," Shevchenko said.
"And to make it even more difficult, they have an efficient
attack that can hit you at any time. Xabi Alonso showed
against Juve what a great player he is while Luis Garcia has
proved key to Liverpool's creative play and we will have to
be extremely careful not to allow them any spaces."
(TEAMtalk)
Hamann confident
Dietmar Hamann believes Liverpool can beat AC Milan and win
the European Cup.
"Milan have been favourites since the start of the season,"
he said. "They look very solid. They might have been a touch
lucky against PSV Eindhoven in the semi-finals but they had
enough class to come through. They won it two years ago so
they know they can win it, and that will be a big advantage
to them.
"But the manager will know his tactics come Wednesday and
hopefully we can do a job. We fancy our chances. They have
been awesome in the Champions League and in Italy in the
last few seasons, but PSV have shown they are beatable.
"To win a Champions League with Liverpool, in a competition
where they made their name, would be unbelievable. I meet
people in the streets around my home and they remind me of
that. They were used to success 20 or 30 years back, and
they've not had as much success as they'd have liked in
recent years. Hopefully that is about to change. We've seen
what it means to them to be playing in occasions like that.
"Everybody wishes you good luck in the streets, offering you
encouragement to win the final, and that's good to know.
"If you hadn't realised what kind of club you're playing for
before, now I think we all know. The size of this club
becomes clear on the biggest occasions and stages. It's a
special football club "
(LFC Online)
Mejuto in the middle for Istanbul
Spanish referee Manuel Enrique Mejuto González will take
charge of Wednesday's UEFA Champions League final between AC
Milan and Liverpool FC in Istanbul. The appointment was
officially announced by UEFA today, and is another honour in
the 40-year-old match official's career.
"It is a big joy," Mejuto told uefa.com. "When you are a
boy, you never think this could happen to you. It is also
the prize for many years of work. I'm grateful for the
opportunity that has been offered to me, because there are
many referees all over the world, and very few have this
chance."
Mejuto was born in La Felguera in Asturias on 16 April 1965.
A managing accountant, he took up refereeing in his teens,
and moved into the Spanish top-flight bracket in 1995 before
being added to the FIFA international list in 1999.
EFA's first major call for Mejuto came in 2000, when he was
part of the UEFA European Under-18 Championship refereeing
team in Germany.
Mejuto took charge of the FIFA centennial match between
France and Brazil last May. He then refereed two matches at
UEFA EURO 2004™ and has officiated at seven UEFA Champions
League matches this season, including Liverpool FC's home
match against Olympiacos CFP in December, and AC Milan's
game at Manchester United FC
in February.
(uefa.com)
Vignal interests Auxerre
Auxerre have entered the race to sign Gregory Vignal, who
will leave Liverpool on a free transfer in the summer.
The French full back is currently on loan at Rangers but has
rejected the new Scottish champions' offer of a permanent
contract.
A string of clubs across Europe are chasing his signature
after Vignal revealed that he will be allowed to quit
Anfield for nothing.
Vignal has already stated that Newcastle United, Marseille
and Stuttgart have made contact with a view to a possible
summer transfer.
Auxerre's veteran coach Guy Roux is believed to be
considering an offer for the left back, who has never truly
established himself at Liverpool.
The defender is purportedly tempted by the chance to link up
with Roux and is likely to have a tough decision regarding
his future in the coming weeks.
Vignal played against Auxerre earlier in the season when
Rangers lost 2-0 at home to the French outfit in the Uefa
Cup.
(Planet Football/Sky Sports)
Wenger backs Reds to sink Milan
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger declared that Liverpool will
never have a better chance to beat AC Milan and lift the
Champions League trophy than this week's final in Istanbul.
Wenger believes Milan peaked too early this season in their
last-16 win against Manchester United and, with an ageing
defence, will be affected by losing the Serie A title race
to Juventus.
He therefore insisted Rafael Benitez's team could throw
aside their underdog tag to prevail in Wednesday night's
final.
The Arsenal boss said: "I fancy Liverpool as I feel Milan
look jaded physically and certainly mentally by losing the
championship.
"I think they have never had a better chance than now to
beat Milan.
"When Milan played at Old Trafford, they looked at the peak
of their game but now, I have watched them twice recently,
they don't look very comfortable."
(Sporting Life) |
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SUNDAY 22 |
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£200,000-a-man for Cup final victory
Liverpool's players stand to net bonuses of around £200,000
each if they win the Champions League final on Wednesday.
Some of the players are guaranteed a £100,000 bonus even if
the Reds lose, due to appearance clauses that are written
into their contracts.
Players such as Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard are
expected to be the biggest winners financially.
(Kop Talk)
Baros wants Stam of approval
Milan Baros is gunning for Jaap Stam again as he tries his
best to get back into Rafael Benitez's good books ahead of
Liverpool's date with destiny in Istanbul.
Baros terrorised Stam during a memorable Group D match in
Aveiro last June, a game which saw the Czechs fall 2-0
behind then storm back to win 3-2 with Baros scoring as well
as his Liverpool colleague Vladimir Smicer.
It was arguably the best match of the tournament in Portugal
and it will have left a bitter mark on Stam's memory.
Baros said: "I have a pretty good record against Stam, I
always seem to score against him and hopefully I will get
the chance to do it again in Istanbul."
(Sporting Life)
Parry seeks European redemption
Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry wants to compensate for
a poor domestic season by winning Wednesday's Champions
League final against AC Milan.
Inconsistency led to the Reds finishing fifth in the
Premiership but they do have a shot at Europe's biggest
prize.
"It's been a mixed season, our domestic form has been by no
means good enough," Parry told BBC Radio Five Live.
"Any silverware is a bonus and the Champions League is the
big one so we are delighted to be in the final."
(BBC Sport Online)
Reina warms to Anfield talk
Villarreal goalkeeper Jose Reina has admitted he would
consider a move to Liverpool after numerous reports linking
him with the Premiership club.
The 22-year-old former Barcelona player has found himself at
the centre of transfer speculation following an impressive
season in the Primera Liga.
Villarreal director Jose Manuel Llaneza confirmed earlier
this month that Liverpool have been in touch about Reina,
and now the player has added further fuel to the rumours by
admitting a lucrative deal with the Champions League
finalists is not out of the question.
"I can't deny it, it's a possibility," Reina said. "Money
isn't the only thing in football but it is the only tangible
thing at the end of your career.
"However, there are a lot more things to consider and it
depends on how the move suits Villarreal. We will speak when
the league is over. At the moment there is a lot at stake
for the team and I can't be thinking just about myself."
(TEAMtalk)
AC Milan reveal Gerrard interest
AC Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti would be interested in
signing Steven Gerrard - if the 24-year-old Liverpool
captain decides to leave Anfield this summer.
The two teams meet in the Champions League final on
Wednesday and Ancelotti told the Sunday Express newspaper:
"Steven Gerrard is a great player.
"Right now he is a Liverpool player and I am not going to
upset Liverpool by talking any more about him.
"But it will be different if he decides in the summer that
he wants to leave."
Ancelotti added: "He is undoubtedly one of the best midfield
players in the world.
"Of course, any top club would want him in their side. I
like him very much - he is a wonderful player."
(BBC Sport Online)
Ticketless fans warned away
Thousands of Liverpool fans will be heading for
Istanbul this week for the club's biggest match in 20 years
- but supporters without match tickets have been warned not
to bother.
Police say the Turkish authorities will be checking fans
have tickets when they arrive ahead of Wednesday's Champions
League final against AC Milan and may send them home if they
do not have them.
Chief Superintendent Dave Lewis of Merseyside Police said:
"All of the tickets for the match have now been allocated
and I'd advise anyone without a ticket not to travel.
"The Turkish authorities say they will be checking that
supporters arriving have tickets. If they don't they run the
risk of being sent home."
(TEAMtalk)
Kennedy predicts pens will decide Final
Former Liverpool star Alan Kennedy has predicted the
Champions League final could be decided on penalties - just
as it was in 1984 when his spot-kick won the trophy for
Liverpool.
Kennedy's deciding penalty in the Rome shoot-out secured the
Reds' fourth European Cup, and he reckons we may have to go
through another nerve-jangling penalty drama before number
five is on its way back to Anfield.
"If there is a winner it will probably be by a single goal,
but I just have a hunch it could go all the way to penalties
like it did in 1984," he said.
"If it does then you can forget about the fact that AC Milan
are the best team in Europe on paper because it will all be
down to which players can hold their nerve.
He added: "This is probably the weakest Liverpool team to
reach the European Cup final - and I don't mean that as an
insult because this is very much a team in transition.
"Rafa deserves enormous credit for showing immediately what
a great manager he is, and you have to praise the players as
well because a lot of them have played better than they've
ever played for Liverpool before."
(LFC Official Website)
Anfield reject Henchoz walks alone
As Liverpool take the field at the Atatürk
Olympic Stadium next Wednesday, one former player will tune
in from his temporary home in Glasgow with a mixture of envy
and regret as he considers what might have been at the end
of the most frustrating season of his career.
When he left Anfield for Celtic last January, Stephane
Henchoz would have given you long odds on the prospects of
his former team-mates reaching this year's final, but having
disposed of Juve and Chelsea, the Swiss defender now thinks
Liverpool have a 50-50 chance of beating the six-time
winners, AC Milan in Istanbul.
More interesting still, in the days leading up to the 50th
final of Europe's premier competition, Henchoz has found
himself wondering if he should have stayed at Liverpool and
possibly added a Champions League medal to the UEFA Cup
badge of four years ago.
"Of course, I would like to be there; it would be a lie to
say otherwise," admits Henchoz. "Even if you are not really
involved, you are still in the squad and a Champions League
Final is something that every player wants to be part of.
Sometimes I think about that and it's a bit of a shame for
me personally, but it doesn't pay to look back too much in
life and once the decision has been taken, you just have to
get on with it."
(The Scotsman)
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Thor Zakariassen
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