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MONDAY 9 |
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Milan back Reds' Euro claims
AC Milan believe Liverpool should be in next season's
Champions League if they win the final in Istanbul.
If Liverpool are successful, Milan director Umberto Gandini
declares they must be given the chance to compete in the
Champions League next season and defend their trophy.
"It must be paramount for the title holder to be in," said
Gandini. They will have won the right to defend their title
on the pitch."
However, the Football Association have made it clear that
the top four Premiership teams will participate in next
season's premier club competition, irrespective of what
happens in Istanbul.
"It's not my place to tell The FA what to do but I honestly
think this is the correct approach," Gandini aded.
"In our opinion, that's in the spirit of the rules because
the title holder should
always be No 1.
(ITV Football)
Milan fixture change
AC Milan have brought forward their Serie A fixture against
Palermo in order to give themselves more time to prepare for
the Champions League Final against Liverpool in Istanbul on
May 25.
The Rossoneri were to due to play their penultimate league
game of the season on Sunday May 22 but the Italian Football
League has today announced that this will be changed.
Milan and Palermo will now clash at the San Siro on Friday
May 20, with an 8.30pm kick-off.
Carlo Ancelotti's side yesterday crashed to what could be a
decisive 1-0 defeat at home to nearest rivals Juventus.
(LFC Official Website)
Gerrard and Carra to miss USA tour
Liverpool duo Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher are set to
the be the latest stars to pull out of England's summer tour
of America following their Champions League success.
Sven-Goran Eriksson will lead his squad on the controversial
trip to the USA on May 26, a day after the Reds' fifth
European Cup final with AC Milan in Istanbul.
Carragher and Gerrard would obviously be unable to leave the
country with the rest of the squad.
However, it's understood Eriksson would like the pair to fly
to the USA after the final in order to play in England's
second game of the tour against Columbia on May 31.
However, if Liverpool were to win, the club is sure to
organise a traditional homecoming tour of the city on
Sunday, May 29, where Carragher and Gerrard would be central
figures. To join the England party, the pair would have to
sacrifice this potentially once-in-a-lifetime experience.
(Liverpool Echo)
Garcia lives the dream
Luis Garcia has reflected on Liverpool's victory over
Chelsea in the Champions League.
"Football wise, it was the happiest night of my life," said
the Spanish midfielder. "The joy was enormous, incomparable.
The goal, the people, qualification. It was all a dream.
"I got on well with Mourinho when we were both at Barcelona
but I know a lot of people are happy my goal knocked his
side out of Europe.
"To start with, you thinking the business of 'never walking
alone' is beautiful and nice, but you begin to see that it
is really like that.
"It's fantastic to be able to give the people at the club
this moment of happiness."
(LFC Online)
No Reds move for Depor Luque
Deportivo La Coruna president Augusto Lendoiro claims he has
not received any bid for Alberto Luque despite speculation
linking the striker with Liverpool.
Rumours have associated the 26-year-old Spain forward with a
move from the Riazor to Atletico Madrid, former club
Barcelona and Champions League finalists Liverpool but
Lendoiro insists that Depor have not had any firm offer.
"Neither Barca, Liverpool or Atletico Madrid have spoken to
Deportivo at any time," Lendoiro said.
"There is a lot of noise but nothing has materialised."
(Sporting Life)
Liverpool to wear red strip for final
Liverpoolfc.tv can today confirm that Liverpool will wear
their famous all-red strip for the Champions League final
against AC Milan in Istanbul.
With Milan's home strip being red and black, there were
fears that Liverpool may have to contest the final in their
yellow away strip but the two clubs have agreed that the
Italians will wear all white - as they did when they played
and beat Juventus in the 2003 final - with the Merseysiders
in Red.
Liverpool fans will be hoping the choice of strips proves a
luck omen for their side. Everytime Liverpool have won the
European Cup, we've worn red strips against
teams in white.
(LFC Official Website)
Moyes: We're best on Merseyside
Everton boss David Moyes was jubilant after his side finally
secured a fourth-placed finish in the Premiership following
Liverpool's defeat to Arsenal.
Liverpool remain six points behind their city rivals but
only have one league game left this season.
"I hope they will go on to win the Champions League but
there's no denying Everton are the best team in the city
this season," the Scot beamed.
(ITV Football) |
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SUNDAY 8 |
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Rafa looks to positives
Rafa Benitez refused to be downbeat despite watching his
Liverpool side fall to a 3-1 defeat on their travels to
Highbury.
''We are disappointed but we must think about positive
things, prepare for the next game and look to the [Champions
League] final."
(Planet Football/Sky Sports)
Gunners end Reds' Euro hope
Arsenal virtually sealed second place with a 3-1 Premiership
win over Liverpool - a result which ensured Champions League
football for Everton.
The Londoners survived a second-half fightback to virtually
assure themselves of the runners-up spot in the Premiership
and rule out any hope of Liverpool snatching the fourth and
final Champions League berth from near-neighbours Everton.
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard gave the visitors some hope
after the break when he scored with a long-range shot in the
51st minute but Cesc Fabregas put the game beyond doubt with
a well-worked third in added time.
(TEAMtalk)
Arsenal v Liverpool - confirmed team
LIVERPOOL: Dudek, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Traore, Riise,
Hamann, Alonso, Garcia, Gerrard, Baros.
SUBS: Carson, Biscan, Smicer, Kewell, Cisse.
(Kop Talk)
Houllier supports Reds' Euro case
Gerard Houllier believes Liverpool should be allowed to
defend their title in Europe next season if they beat AC
Milan in the Champions League final.
The Reds are set to miss out even if they win in Istanbul
but finish outside the Premiership's top four.
"It is a massive achievement, reaching the final of that
competition is always something special," the former Reds
boss told BBC Five Live's Sportsweek.
"They should be allowed to defend the title by virtue of
fifth place."
(BBC Sport Online) |
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SATURDAY 7 |
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Benitez incentive for winning team
Rafael Benitez has warned his Liverpool heroes that the race
is now on for places in the Champions League final side.
The Liverpool boss has continually rotated his line-up this
season - not always to great effect - because of the demands
of so many matches as the Champions League and Barclays
Premiership campaigns reach their climax.
But Benitez has pointedly decided there is no need for
constant changes between now and their clash with AC Milan
in Istanbul on May 25, with a trip to face Arsenal at
Highbury on Sunday next on the Reds' agenda.
He said: "I do not have problems with selection now. All the
players want to play. We have two league games and then more
than a week to recuperate before the final, we can work on
set-pieces and plan how we will play in Istanbul.
"They will all want to play in the final and so of course
they will want to play well in these last two league games."
(Sporting Life)
Carragher makes Euro place plea
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has pleaded with Uefa to
allow five English clubs to compete in next season's
Champions League.
"I don't see the problem with putting five of us in it,"
Carragher told Football Focus.
"I'm sure they could fit us both in the qualifying stage
somehow, maybe play an extra game in the qualifying round.
"They could maybe lose a team from a country that doesn't
have much chance of
winning it!"
(BBC Sport Online)
Wenger: Liverpool lucky to be in final
Arsene Wenger says that Liverpool are lucky to be in the
Champions League this season let alone the final.
The Arsenal manager says that English clubs have an
advantage in the competition as they are given four
qualifying places in the Champions League every year.
Wenger told The Sun: "Normally they should not have played
in this cup.
"They are already lucky to be in it because of the advantage
this country has in having four qualifying places.
"Most countries have only three, so they had an advantage in
qualifying last season after finishing fourth."
(Pink Football)
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Thor Zakariassen
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