[lfc-news] Rafa: We have nothing to fear - Echo

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Has someone you know been affected by illness or disease?
Network for Good is THE place to support health awareness efforts!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/0xaSZB/UOnJAA/Y3ZIAA/2_TolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->

Liverpool Echo, 23 May 2005
We have nothing to fear - Rafa
By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

LIVERPOOL jetted out to Istanbul for the club's biggest game for 20
years with the message from Rafa Benitez: "We have nothing to fear."

The Reds squad left John Lennon Airport today as underdogs. If they
return with the European Cup when they land on Thursday afternoon,
they'll join the ranks of Anfield immortals.

Rather than linger on the formidable qualities of AC Milan, Benitez has
warned his stars to banish any negative thoughts between now and
kick-off on Wednesday.

He'll spend the next 48 hours finalising a difficult team selection with
Djibril Cisse and Milan Baros scrapping over the right to lead the
forward line.

"We must go into this game with confidence and every player must believe
we can win," said Benitez, as the squad left Merseyside after their last
Melwood training session of the season.

"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."

Apart from the cup-tied Fernando Morientes, Benitez has one of his
fit-test squads of the season to choose from.

Steven Gerrard and Luis Garcia have fully recovered from the strains
which kept the duo out of the last Premiership clash with Aston Villa.

Garcia has been a lucky charm in Europe, scoring five goals, but he
could have been celebrating silverware already had he stayed at former
club Barcelona.

The Spanish giants won La Liga a week ago, but Garcia he wouldn't swap
his chance of Champions League glory with Liverpool for the title he
sacrificed by moving to Anfield last summer.

In fact, the midfielder believes some of his former team-mates would
will-ingly exchange places with him for the opportunity to win the
greatest club competition of all.

"I made the right choice coming to Liverpool and reaching the Champions
League final shows this," said Garcia.

"Everyone in Barcelona is happy they've won the league and I'm happy for
my ex-team-mates. I've spoken to them on the phone and they told me they
also wish they were in the Champions League final.

"I would have been happy to win the Spanish title, but I don't know if
I'd have been in the side if I'd stayed there so I have no regrets.

"This is the most important game any player can be involved in. I feel
very proud and will just try to enjoy the moment."

Garcia added he'll volunteer to take a penalty if necessary after 120
minutes in Turkey, despite admitting he'll follow his manager's advice
in training.

"I'm not practising penalties," he said. "But if I have to take one, I
won't have a problem with that. I won't be nervous."

Unsubscribe: lfc-news-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
http://www.lfc-list.org.uk/

Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lfc-news/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
lfc-news-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/