Liverpool FC Stuff - Anfield Road: May 01, 2005

Saturday, May 07, 2005

[lfc-news] Inside the mind of Rafa Benitez - Official Site

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Official LFC Website, 7 May 2005
INSIDE THE MIND OF RAFAEL BENITEZ
Paul Rogers

Rafael Benitez on drinking coke on the Albert Dock, playing in Istanbul,
challenging for the title, Steven Gerrard, rumours about Real Madrid and
what they're saying in the internet chatrooms...

Rafa on Spain's reaction to Liverpool's Champions League march:

"I had 20 Spanish friends who came to the game against Chelsea and they
were delighted with the atmosphere. I read the Spanish newspapers and
saw the talk in the Spanish chat-rooms on the internet. People were
writing about what an amazing occasion it was, one they would never forget."

Rafa on the amazing atmosphere inside Anfield on Tuesday night:

"When I was coach of Valencia, we played Celtic in the UEFA Cup and the
atmosphere was great but this was even better. I will never forget this
game. It was good on television but when you are in the ground, hearing
it, it's fantastic."

Rafa on that Luis Garcia goal:

"My secretary, Sheila, was right in line with the shot and she says it
was a goal. That's good enough for me."

Rafa on how he celebrated the win over Chelsea:

"I didn't get much sleep on Tuesday night. I went for a drink with some
friends and supporters after the match. We were in the Pan American Bar
on the Albert Dock. I was there until 2am, but I was drinking coke. It
was a great night."

Rafa on tiresome reports linking him with a return to Real Madrid:

"Liverpool fans can rest assured, I am happy here and don't want to put
the club under pressure. Mourinho has his five more years [on a new
Chelsea contract] and good for him, but I am not thinking about my
future, just the game against Arsenal."

Rafa on Liverpool's Premiership form:

"The statistics after Champions League games are not good enough. The
Premiership has been a disappointment. To lose 10 games away is not
normal. We need to improve away from home next season. I am not angry. I
am hungry! I want to win the final of the Champions League, but I also
want to be fighting for first position in the Premiership. I am not
happy with the position. We need to change things in the summer, this is
when youcan controlthe situation.

"It's been more difficult for me here coming to a new country and a new
club with a new language, so it makes me proud to have reached two
finals in our first season. At Valencia we won the title and the UEFA
Cup, but it was different. It will feel better if we win the Champions
League here. I've been working this year to reach the top four and build
a team for the future, but now we have reached two finals. My
frustration is with the league results.

"We know anything can happen in one game. You can play a match with
passion and good tactics, but over a nine month period you need more
than this to be successful. That's why the money is important. When I
spoke to the chairman after the game he was as happy as all of us. If we
do the right things during the summer, I know we will fight a lot better
for the Premiership. I'm not going to say we will win the title next
season, but I will say we'll be a lot closer."

Rafa on why he won't be swapping Gerrard for Guti:

"Guti is a fantastic player but we are not interested in him. Stevie's
happy. He feels Liverpool in his heart and he wants to win the Champions
League. When you talk about players, they see we're are on the way up.
Players like Steve Gerrard can see the difference and know where we are
going in the future. In Xabi Alonso and Steven Gerrard we have the spine
of a team for many years. This win is important for him and the club."

Rafa on what reaching the Champions League really means:

"The final means much more than the money. A player will go 'OK,
Liverpool are in the final of the Champions League, they are a big club'
and he will want to come here. The most important thing above everything
else is we've recuperated the prestige of the club. Maybe people are
seeing Liverpool can rule Europe again.

"We can attract players in England, but maybe the biggestimpact is in
Europe where people will say Liverpool are at the top again. That's
important. The result is significant for many others reasons, including
the sponsorship situation and the signing of players. This will make it
easier for us. Maybe I will now have more money, certainly more than a
week ago. This time last week we knew if we finished fifth and lost to
Chelsea, we'd have less money."

Rafa on media praise about his own role in Liverpool's season:

"It is not just me. It is about working with my staff. We analyse
opponents. We see the videos. We had three days to prepare for the
Chelsea game. We will be better prepared for the final because we will
have 10 days to prepare. But even if you prepare everything, the detail
is not important if Eidur Gudjohnsen scores in the last minute."

Rafa on the Liverpool Rock, Jamie Carragher:

"Jamie is the best. He is having a fantastic season. He has the spirit
and passion that a player from Liverpool needs to have."

Rafa on learning his trade:

"I am a worker. I have worked in a lot of towns, Extremadura, Valencia,
Madrid. I spent time in Italy, learning. I went to Milanello [AC's
retreat] three times, watching Fabio Capello. I watched Marcelo Lippi at
Juventus and Claudio Ranieri at Fiorentina."

Rafa on why he only has fond memories of Istanbul ?

"I won 3-0 at Besiktas with Valencia."

Rafa on his approach to tactics:

"Sometimes, I decide on a defensive system because it will be better.
But I like to score a lot and not concede. It is a balance. In my last
season at Valencia, we scored more goals than any team except Real
Madrid, who got 71, and we conceded fewer goals than all the teams."

Rafa on Sunday's opponents Arsenal:

"Arsenal are a team who play very good football, and it is better for us
to play against that than when we play against long-ball, very physical
teams. We have to treatthe Arsenal game like aChampions League tie, like
the final in fact."

Rafa on the race for fourth place in the Premiership:

"It's difficult but not impossible."

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Friday, May 06, 2005

[lfc-news] Rafa rubbishes Guti link - Official Site

Official LFC Website, 6 May 2005
RAFA RUBBISHES GUTI LINK
By Paul Eaton

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has rubbished reports from Spain that the
Reds will look to bring Real Madrid ace Guti to Anfield in the summer in
exchange for Steven Gerrard.

The reports suggest Madrid are poised to make a 20 million pound bid for
the Liverpool skipper and also include Guti as part of the deal.

But Benitez insists he remains determined to keep Gerrard at Anfield and
has revealed he has no desire to sign the Spanish midfielder.

He said: "The situation with Steven remains the same. He has two more
years to run on his contract and we want him to stay.

"I have read reports from Spain today that we will sell him to Madrid if
they give us Guti. That is not true. Guti is a good player but we do not
want him."

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[lfc-news] Carragher third in Football Writers' vote - Echo

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Liverpool Echo, 6 May 2005
Carragher third in Football Writers' vote
By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

LIVERPOOL defender Jamie Carragher was named third in the Football
Writers' Association player of the year poll.

The Bootle-born Reds ace finished behind winner Frank Lampard and
runner-up John Terry.

It is major and long-overdue recognition for Carragher, who is finally
seeing his abilities recognised on the national stage.

The 27-year-old was a hero in the Liverpool team which held Chelsea at
bay on Tuesday night at Anfield to reach the final of the Champions League.

His performance led Liverpool legend Alan Hansen to describe him as 'ten
times the defender I was', while manager Rafael Benitez this season
described Carragher as 'the best central defender in the country'.

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[lfc-news] Reds will be tough say Milan - Echo

Liverpool Echo, 6 May 2005
Reds will be tough say Milan

AC MILAN coach Carlo Ancelotti admits it is going to be difficult for
his side to break Liverpool down when they meet in the final of the
Champions League on May 25.

Ancelotti, whose side scraped past PSV Eindhoven on the away goals rule
on Wednesday, claimed Rafael Benitez's men were largely defensive in
their 1-0 win over Chelsea at Anfield.

He said: "We saw the semi-final on Tuesday. Liverpool did not play much
football. They were quite defensive but it certainly will not be easy
for us in Istanbul.

"PSV is a team that wants to play with the ball and they also give you
space and let you play when you are in possession.

"Liverpool don't do that but it will still be very hard to beat them."

Ancelotti wore the look of a relieved man following the clash at the
Philips Stadion as he knew his side were fortunate to advance past a PSV
side who were superior throughout.

Milan's Danish international Jon Dahl Tomasson added: "Liverpool are a
great team as they have proved by getting to the final.

"I am very happy to see them in the final as they are a club with a lot
of tradition. Hopefully the fans will enjoy the spectacle."

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[lfc-news] Benitez: We must treat Arsenal visit like cup final - Echo

Liverpool Echo, 6 May 2005
Benitez: We must treat Arsenal visit like cup final
By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

RAFA BENITEZ insists Liverpool won't allow their Premiership campaign to
end tamely in the aftermath of Champions League glory.

The Anfield boss today warned his players reaching the European Cup
final won't excuse a timid surrender of fourth spot.

Benitez still believes a final twist in the race for Euro qualification
is possible ahead of Sunday's trip to Arsenal.

"The games against Arsenal and Aston Villa are now our most important
fixtures, not the final," said Benitez. "It's going to be difficult
against Arsenal, but we have two games to get into the top four and then
we'll have 10 days to prepare for the final.

"I've told the players not to think about the final until after these
two games. We must be concentrating on the league.

"If we win our last two games we could be in the top four and then we'll
be even happier before we go to Istanbul.

"To win trophies in the future means playing to a high level in every
game, not just in Europe. We can't think it's okay to come fifth just
because we've reached the final. We must try to finish in the top four.
If we win both our games, it's possible."

Benitez will welcome back Xabi Alonso and Fernando Morientes ahead of
the trip to London.

The Liverpool squad returned to training today after 48 hours rest
following their midweek efforts.

Just two games from the end of the domestic season, Benitez has a
practically fully fit squad to choose from.

Only Chris Kirkland, Josemi, Neil Mellor and Florent Sinama-Pongolle
remain on the injured list.

Arsenal will be without Thierry Henry (groin) and Freddie Ljungberg
(hip) for both Sunday's game and the midweek visit of Everton. Both
players are fighting to be fit for the FA Cup Final against Manchester
United on 21st May.

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Thursday, May 05, 2005

[lfc-news] FA reveal Champions League ruling - PA

PA Sport, 5 May 2005
FA REVEAL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RULING

Everton have welcomed confirmation by the Football Association that the
top four teams in the Barclays Premiership will enter the Champions
League next season.

With Liverpool unlikely to earn qualification via the league, there had
been suggestions that one of England's four places should go to the
Anfield side if they were to beat AC Milan in Istanbul later this month.

But that possibility has been ruled out by the FA, although they say
they will lobby UEFA for a fifth place on Liverpool's behalf.

The news was greeted with cautious relief by Everton - who are currently
in fourth place, three points ahead of their city rivals with two games
to play.

Everton chief executive Keith Wyness told the club's website,
www.evertonfc.com: "Whilst we welcome the announcement from the FA
regarding clarification on the fourth place qualification issue, we are
still operating in a hypothetical situation with regards to Everton's
position."

UEFA leave the allocation of each country's Champions League places in
the hands of national associations.

And there had been some hope for Liverpool, who are three points behind
Everton with two games to play, in the example set in 2000 by the
Spanish FA who selected fifth-placed Real Madrid over fourth-placed Real
Zaragoza after the former won the Champions League.

However, with the Premier League likely to have resisted any attempt to
remove the reward from the team finishing fourth, the board of six
chairmen decided to leave Liverpool's fate in UEFA's hands.

The board is made up of Dave Richards (Premier League), David Dein
(Arsenal vice-chairman), Rupert Lowe (Southampton), Phil Gartside
(Bolton), David Sheepshanks (Ipswich) and Peter Heard (Colchester).

The decision was endorsed by UEFA's director of communication, William
Gaillard.

He said: "That is fine. This is the rule although the FA could have
asked for an exception and replaced the fourth-placed team with the
eventual winners of the Champions League if Liverpool win it.

"They have chosen not to. However, the Premiership is not over and there
are still three games for Everton and two for Liverpool so we could have
a nice race."

Liverpool do have small cause for hope with the FA intending to try to
persuade UEFA to award fifth place to English football, although the
competition's rules stipulate a maximum of four entrants from each country.

UEFA president Lennart Johansson has made it clear the association's
executive committee do have the power to make and enforce changes.

However, they will not take any action until after the final itself and
should Liverpool win that, a decision would be made at the next
executive committee meeting on June 17.

The Anfield side will have an ally in Everton, with Wyness adding:
"Despite what is a most intense local rivalry, we do believe that if
Liverpool were to win this year's tournament they should be invited to
return as holders."

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[lfc-news] Anfield becoming drunk on Benitez's special brew - Post

Liverpool Daily Post, 5 May 2005
Anfield becoming drunk on Benitez's special brew
By Andy Hunter, Daily Post

WITHOUT the self-importance or the sour grapes, Rafael Benitez is the
perfect antidote to the 'special one' - but Liverpool have themselves a
special one nonetheless.

Jose Mourinho lost not only the first semi-final of his managerial
career at a frenzied Anfield on Tuesday, but a care-fully manufactured
aura of invincibility.

With one more triumphant performance from Liverpool on May 25, he will
also lose the honour of being the only manager besides Bob Paisley to
win the UEFA Cup and European Cup in successive years.

His Iberian conqueror Benitez is within touching distance of that
remarkable feat following the unforgettable events of this week's
Champions League semi-final second leg.

Only a few months ago there was open disbelief at such an achievement
within Anfield itself. Now there is only absolute faith in the fates
that have carried Liverpool this far and will see them claim a fifth
European Cup exactly 28 years to the day of their first if they triumph
in Istanbul.

The winners mentality Benitez has infused throughout Anfield is paying
off and, though the nerve-shredding events of Tuesday, this Premier-ship
campaign and his fierce work ethic suggest otherwise, he has made the
journey to the greatest stage appear almost effortless. How Sir Alex
Ferguson must be suffering now.

The Manchester United manager made it his public intention to knock
Liverpool off their perch and delivered. Yet in just nine months Benitez
has produced as many European Cup final appearances for Liverpool as
Ferguson has in 19 years and 11 Champions League campaigns at Old Trafford.

Now he just needs to win it of course, and with a full 10 days to
prepare his squad for the Turkish showdown - the longest time he has
spent uninterrupted with his players all season - Benitez will have no
reason to fear AC Milan.

"I am delighted for Rafa, absolutely delighted," said chief executive
Rick Parry yesterday.

"He deserves it more than anyone for the hard work he has put in and the
ups and downs he has had to cope with this season. He has been through a
lot this season, but if anything he has thrived on the challenge of
everything that has happened.

"I am pleased for the players as well. They were absolutely magnificent."

Parry admits Benitez ticked every box when they were looking for the
right man to replace Gerard Houllier last year, and it says everything
about the Liverpool manager's ability to adapt that eight of Tuesday's
starting line-up were bought by his predecessor.

There was only one Benitez signing in from the start against Chelsea,
and he scored the winner. Well, he might have!

Anfield's chief executive added: "I don't think we have been surprised
in what Rafa has done because of the credentials he has.

"We knew the qualities we wanted our manager to have and he fits them all.

"We are talking about hunger, knowledge, determination, skill. He is a
top coach and has everything that you want. But above all he is a winner
and that is crucially important and that is rubbing off.

"This can be just the start of things under Rafa. We never ever viewed
his appointment as a gamble, simply because he stood to everything we
were looking for last summer.

"He has a proven track record and reputation. Winning one of the major
leagues in the world twice in the face of competition from Real Madrid
and Barcelona is no mean feat.

"But Rafa is young and hungry. He wants to take the club places and we
didn't want to bring someone in who saw Liverpool as a way of earning
his pension.

"He lives and breathes football and he is a humble, genuinely nice guy.
But someone who won't shy away from making decisions. He is definitely
in the 'Liverpool way'."

Benitez has also been hailed as the world's greatest manager by the men
he will turn into Liverpool legends with victory at the Ataturk Olympic
Stadium next month.

The magical touch that won two La Liga titles and the UEFA Cup in the
three years with Valencia has now revived the fortunes of one great
institution and the careers of several play-ers.

The rejuvenated John Arne Riise said: "Rafa is the best manager in the
world, tactically he is unbelievable.

"So many times he judges things perfectly and the way he prepares and
picks the team gives us a lot of confidence.

"I know the players want to play for him and he deserves a lot of credit
for what he has done in his first season in England.

"Everybody knows the system, what they are supposed to be doing and
where they should be. He tells us all in great detail how he wants us to
play and we just try to carry out those instructions.

"Over the whole season we have learned a lot and we can't wait for next
season now. We have every confidence that we can go to Istanbul to win
the trophy. We have beaten some great teams and we can do it again."

Mourinho may have felt he had that title under wraps before being
out-thought by Benitez in both legs of their exhausting semi-final.

But for the victorious Liverpool players there is no doubt who deserved
the spoils of victory.

Dietmar Hamann said: "It was a great triumph for the manager. To reach
the Champions League final in his first season here is very special, and
he is special, and we are looking forward to the final now."

And Sami Hyypia, again outstanding against Chelsea, added: "He's a great
manager. He's made us better as a team as well as individually better.

Tactically, he's very strong and very strict. If somebody does not do
something he likes he tells us straight away and corrects it. He's a
very demanding manager and everybody at the club wants to play for him."

Riise also paid tribute to the Liverpool fans, adding: "The atmosphere
was fantastic.

"The fans never stopped singing all night and we felt that we had to
give them something back. Now they have a final to look forward to and I
hope they enjoy it.

"Chelsea may be the best team in the league over the whole season
because they are champions, but we have been the best team over the two
legs of the semi-final, whatever Jose Mourinho says."

The atmosphere on Tuesday night has already taken its place in Anfield
folklore.

And Parry admits: "I suppose the last game is always the best, but I was
here for St Etienne in '77 and the atmosphere was better than that.

"The noise was just incessant. I thought that it would take something to
beat the atmosphere generated against Juventus, but there was never a
lull, never a silence."

Confidence, not surprisingly, is flooding through the Liverpool camp now
as they prepare for the club's sixth European Cup final.

Milan Baros said: "I have never felt an atmosphere like we all
experienced at Anfield, now we are confident of lifting the trophy
because we play well in the Champions League.

"The supporters deserved that.

"We will enjoy being in the final and we will have a couple of days off
now to let it all sink in.

"As for the goal, all I can remember is getting to Stevie's (Gerrard)
pass before Petr Cech and knocking it past him before I was flattened.

"I didn't really see whether the ball went over the line but the
linesman was right there and he gave it, that's all that matters.

"It was a great start for us. We felt we had it won after just four
minutes because the first goal was going to be so important. But there
was still a lot of hard work to do."

And Benitez, who will not be satisfied whatever the outcome on May 25,
is just the man to do it.

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[lfc-news] Baros claims a penalty as Sky attempt to settle Garcia goal debate - Post

Liverpool Daily Post, 5 May 2005
Baros claims a penalty as Sky attempt to settle Garcia goal debate
By Paul Walker, Daily Post

LIVERPOOL striker Milan Baros believes he should have been awarded a
penalty on Tuesday if Luis Garcia had not scored the controversial
Champions League semi-final winner against Chelsea - which Sky Sports
claim should not have stood.

Baros, the 23-year-old Czech Republic striker, clipped the ball over
compatriot Petr Cech and appeared to be brought down before Garcia poked
the ball towards goal.

Television replays failed to show if the ball crossed the line before it
was cleared, although Baros believes he should have been awarded a
spot-kick for being fouled by Chelsea's goalkeeper.

He said: "At least it should have been a penalty. He flew at me, I think
he even did not hit the ball. But it is not important now."

Chelsea had beaten Liverpool three times in domestic competition already
this season and Baros - after the goalless draw in the semi-final first
leg - was determined to record his side's first win of the campaign
against Jose Mourinho's side.

He added: "We believed that we might beat Chelsea though we did not win
any out of four preceding matches.

"But it had to come once, we knew the chance with the support of our
fans is very big. The tactics were clear, to fly at them and score an
early goal."

The striker added: "It is the best competition in the world and we are
in its final."

Baros believes the comeback against Olympiakos was the turning point of
the season, adding: "The breaking point was the second half against
Olympiakos. Then we turned the score to our favour and since that we
have been doing well in the Champions League.

"Now we have to forget about Chelsea. We wish to secure the Champions
League qualification in the Premiership."

Sky Sports believe they have proved conclusively that the ball did not
cross the line for Liverpool's winning goal. The channel has used
digital technology to calculate that William Gallas did hook Garcia's
shot away before the whole of the ball crossed the line.

Defeated Chelsea goalkeeper Cech is not convinced the goal should have
stood, and believes the position of the assistant referee made it
impossible to tell whether a goal should have been awarded.

"The linesman was standing in such a position that he simply could not
see the ball as Gallas blocked it with his body," said Cech.

"I was surprised the referees decided the goal was scored, when they
could not see it."

Chelsea could not get the vital away goal needed to reach the final in
Istanbul later this month, although Cech did not want to dwell on
Liverpool's controversial winner.

"There is nothing to add to this. No protest will return us back to the
competition," he added..

Cech believes Garcia's goal proves technology should be introduced for
key decisions, adding: "It is at least something to think about. Soccer
is the only sport where the referee has no chance to verify his
verdict." Cech does not believe Liverpool would have received a penalty
because of his challenge on Baros.

Cech added: "I just occupied the space. Milan hit the ball and then he
jumped into me. In my opinion it could not be a penalty."

However, the linesman at the centre of the goal row - Slovakian
assistant referee Roman Slysko - insisted he had no doubts about the
winning goal.

"I believe that my decision was correct," he insisted. "My first feeling
and which I remain convinced of is that it was a goal. I am 100%
convinced that it was a goal.

It was a very hard situation and in that kind of a situation a person
only has a few hundredths of a second to react.

"From my information as well I understand that TV replays have also not
been able to prove that it was not a goal.

"I saw it clearly. In my view I was adequately positioned for that
situation."

The 31-year-old, a doctor by profession, added that even though some
people say that a goal in such an important match should be proved
beyond doubt "there will always be those kind of situations in football
matches everywhere".

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[lfc-news] Parry: Win was about trophies, not money - Echo

Liverpool Echo, 5 May 2005
Win was about trophies, not money - Parry
By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

ON and off the pitch, the significance of Liverpool's semi-final victory
over Chelsea is immeasurable.

Anfield chief executive Rick Parry today underlined the passionate
pursuit of glory as the most enduring consequence of a triumphant evening.

But he also knows there are far reaching consequences which will help
stabilise a club which has faced an uncertain future in the board-room
for the last two years.

No figures will be released to spell out how much Liverpool's triumphant
European run is worth until next year, but last season Chelsea earned a
figure approaching £30m simply for reaching the last four.

Should the Reds command a similar fee, they've effectively earned as
much as they would for qualifying for the competition two years on the run.

With participation next year still in the balance, Rafa Benitez's
success is sure to aid his recruitment drive this summer.

UEFA's prize fund can be worth as much as £15m to the winner, but it's
the television rights which represent a major additional pot of gold.

During the group stages and quarter-finals, Liverpool shared England's
revenue provided by television with their three fellow competitors from
the Premiership.

Sky and ITV pay £80m a year for the rights to screen games, with 75 per
cent of this fund contributing to an overall 'market pool' of £141m.

In England, a percentage was shared among Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea
and Manchester United depending on how far each side progressed and also
taking into account where each club finished in the Premiership last season.

It's a complicated process which means Liverpool received less than
Chelsea from English broadcasters for the semi-final because the
Londoners finished second to the Reds' fourth in 2004.

By this stage, however, it wasn't just English crews who paid for the
rights to screen Liverpool's game.

In Istanbul, every football loving nation in the world will be tuning
in, with the two finalists certain of further lucrative payments.

Liverpool are also in the middle of a quest for new sponsorship ahead of
next season and exposure in the final of one of the world's Premier
events could not have been timed better.

Their current deal with Carlsberg expires and isn't likely to be
renewed, but so far finding a company to pay the Reds the going rate to
have their logo on the club jersey has proved elusive.

One suspects the prospect of a commercial partnership with the Champions
League finalists will prove more attractive.

And finally, there's the eternal question of Steven Gerrard's future.

Tuesday's game could be looked on in black and white terms. Defeat would
have given Gerrard yet another difficult summer contemplating his future
and no doubt worrying if he'd mistakenly remained at Anfield this year.

Now, his decision to stay 12 months ago is fully vindicated and he's
started making the right noises about a potential contract extension.

Naturally, Liverpool wish to focus solely on the footballing rather than
financial consequences, even if both are inextricably linked.

"I haven't even looked at the financial figures," stressed Parry, who
headed to Istanbul for a pre-final briefing today.

"This was about the game, nothing else. Tuesday night showed what this
club is all about and why we're here. Tuesday wasn't about money, it was
about clutching trophies.

"If Tuesday showed anything it was that it's not about money. I'm sure
when Roman Abramovich reflects on what happened he'll recognise there
are some things which money just can't buy. You can't buy an occasion
like that.

"For me, Tuesday ranked on a par to anything Anfield has experienced
before. In fact, I don't think I've ever known a night like that. The
fans, Rafa and the players did everything they could to make it such a
special occasion.

"People talk about St Etienne in 1977, but that was as much about the
circumstances of the game as the atmosphere itself. The way events
unfolded made 1977 so dramatic.

"This time, I felt as though the buildup began on Tuesday afternoon. I
can't remember such intensity before.

"Perhaps the most suitable comparison is with Inter Milan in 1965 when
these kinds of nights were new.

"Bill Shankly hyped everyone up into a frenzy that night. For a lot of
supporters this was a similarly new experience and, of course, like then
this was a European Cup semi-final."

Liverpool have been underdogs every step of the way this season, but
Parry says he's not surprised by the speed at which Benitez has made his
mark.

"I think it would be wrong to say this is beyond our wildest dreams," he
said.

"We've never been in the competition simply to go through the motions.

"We've been confident from the beginning that in Rafa we had a manager
who would take us forward. Now we're as pleased as it's possible to be
with his progress. He deserves the success.

Liverpool will receive 20,000 tickets for the final on May 25. Selling
arrangements will be confirmed next week.

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[lfc-news] Benitez: I'll stay for 20 years - Echo

Liverpool Echo, 5 May 2005
Benitez: I'll stay for 20 years
EXCLUSIVE by Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

LIVERPOOL boss Rafa Benitez has confidently predicted this month's
Champions League final will be the first of many in a '20 year'
managerial career at Anfield.

Benitez has his sights on creating a legacy the equal of his illustrious
predecessors, and with comments which will thrill his adoring followers
says he hopes to spend two decades at the helm at Liverpool.

The Reds will face AC Milan in Istanbul on May 25 following the
Italians' dramatic 3-3 away goal victory over PSV Eindhoven.

But whatever the outcome later this month, Benitez is sure he'll lead
his club into many more European Cup finals.

"As a manager I'm young and if I'm at Liverpool for another 20 years, I
hope to reach many more finals and win many more trophies," said Benitez.

"I don't know if I'll be here that long, but I hope so. When you're
happy here, you're winning and you see the supporters, why wouldn't you
want to stay for so long?

"I was expecting the club to be like this when I joined, but only when I
experienced nights like the Arsenal and Olympiakos matches did I realise
how good it was.

"On Tuesday people spoke about the St Etienne match in 1977, but for us
this is more important because it's about now and the future. I've never
seen supporters like those against Chelsea. It was fantastic."

UEFA have confirmed Liverpool will get to keep the current European Cup
if they can beat the Italian giants.

Clubs who win the Champions League three times on the run or, as it
would be in Liverpool's case, lift the trophy five times, get to keep it.

Whether the club would get to defend it next season, however, remains
unclear.

The FA were today expected to confirm they'll be backing the side which
finishes fourth in the Premiership for the final qualification spot,
regardless of the result in Istanbul.

However the FA are appealing also for Liverpool, should they win in
Turkey, to be given an extra 'fifth' place so they could defend the
trophy next season. UEFA President Lennart Johansson has already
indicated such a plea could be granted.

Although their regulations stipulate that a maximum of four sides from
any one country can take part in Europe's elite club competition,
Johansson has made it clear UEFA's executive committee do have the power
to over-rule and enforce any changes.

However, they will not take any action until after the final itself.

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[lfc-news] Liverpool hails the new king of the Kop - Independent

The Independent, 5 May 2005
Liverpool hails the new king of the Kop
By James Lawton

Liverpool may be a great port city with a rollicking history, but it is
also a village, a place where people can find out about each other in
the time it takes to sink a pint and make a roll-up. It is why the
coronation of Rafael Benitez as the King of the Kop this week was a
formality - a thunderous one, no doubt, but still a formality.

In the course of a season which has, to say the least, been somewhat
erratic on its way to the stars and a place in the Champions' League
final in Istanbul in three weeks' time, the people of Liverpool have
established a few certainties about the nature of the man who has come
among them so unassumingly.

They know he is a football man to the last inch of his gently rotund
body, and that his achievements in Spain and Europe were deeply
impressive. They knew he would attack the power and the pretension of
Chelsea for as long as it was feasible. And they know he spends every
working day amid his troops out on the training field, without retiring
to his office to monitor radio shows and gauge levels of criticism,
within and without the club - a habit developed over the years by his
embattled predecessor, Gérard Houllier. Liverpool got to know that, too.

The football city also knows that Benitez has endured a season which
would have tested the resolve and the ambition of any manager: injuries
to key players at all the wrong times, a run of misfortune crowned,
grotesquely, in the first leg at Stamford Bridge when arguably his most
important player, the midfielder Xabi Alonso, was suspended after
wrongly receiving a yellow card because of the tawdry theatricals of
Chelsea's Eidur Gudjohnsen. And what has been Benitez's reaction to even
the worst of his luck - and most serious shortfall in some of his team's
Premiership performances? He has bitten his lip and battled on.

In the glory of victory over Chelsea this week, there was a flashpoint
of memory from a raw Saturday afternoon at Newcastle a few months ago.
Liverpool had lost, fallen back another stride in their effort to
qualify for European football next season. How could he entertain the
idea of beating Juventus in the next round of the Champions' League?

"In football you have taken the blows, and you have to see what is
possible," Benitez said. "I believe in my players... I like their
character. We know it is probably not possible to have much more bad
luck. Maybe we will never have a such a season again, but we are still
alive, believe me. Can we beat Juventus? Of course."

What Liverpool sees when it looks at Benitez is a shrewd football
operator, an old player at heart - and a good man. A man, that is,
without an ego that crushes those around him; a man who knows life as
well as he knows football.

In his willingness to celebrate Jamie Carragher - as the outstandingly
consistent presence in a team of remarkable spirit, if not always
technical accomplishment - he goes straight back to the man who laid
down the tradition which was so exultantly celebrated at Anfield this week.

Benitez does not share all of Bill Shankly's traits, to say the least of
it. You cannot imagine him clambering up on to his desk, clenching his
fists and telling you: "My team is going to go off like a great bloody
bomb in the sky." But there is a bond, and it is the one to do with
respect for the game and the people in it.

Shankly hated to lose but he was rarely peevish in defeat, and he would
have been shocked by the latest example of overweening ego displayed by
Jose Mourinho when he was required to face his first serious
disappointment of the season this week.

Shankly once complained that Ajax were the most defensive team he had
ever seen, but then few begrudged him a small display of angst. Ajax
had, after all, just beaten Liverpool 5-0.

Shankly revered Jock Stein and Matt Busby, and always showed respect to
his rivals. Mourinho broke that law of class once again this week when
he declared the "best team lost".

Benitez could afford to take the high ground, and naturally he did. He
said how pleased he was to get by such a formidable team.

Mourinho found such grace elusive - once again. It was to revive,
unpleasantly, the memory of his behaviour after losing to Barcelona at
the Nou Camp, the controversy over the referee, Anders Frisk, which
eventually produced the admission that he had lied quite brazenly.

Yes, of course, Mourinho has done brilliant work at Stamford Bridge. He
did not so much win as annex the Premiership. His drawing out of the
competitive instincts of all his key players was nothing less than
inspired and relentless. Until Anfield, that is. There he found he had
confront some bitter truths. One of them was that when faced by the loss
of Damien Duff and Arjen Robben, in many ways his most important
players, he proved himself less than a tactical genius.

As he did in the first leg, he resorted to the long ball, and the mark
of his desperation was the sight of the defender Robert Huth, thrown up
front, and the arrival of the failed Mateja Kezman. When Manchester
United signed Wayne Rooney, Mourinho said he preferred Kezman. He could
"do more things". It is one of quite a few declarations that, it would
be nice to think, Mourinho now regrets.

Now he has the vast resources of Roman Abramovich at his disposal as he
goes about reseeding his team, he must see it is a job that demands
urgency in several areas, not least in that of creativity.

He needs a midfield playmaker who can break open a defence with a single
pass - someone like Alonso. He needs a superior striking force; Didier
Drogba has failed too many times, and Kezman has never looked likely to
be an authentic force.

Just as pressingly he needs to take a look in the mirror. When he blamed
officials this week, when he said Liverpool's victory came from the moon
or the Kop, he was running from the truth. Chelsea had a lot of the
ball, but made just once chance ... and if Luis Garcia's decisive goal
was questionable, there was no doubt that Liverpool were due a penalty -
and the sending-off of Petr Cech - when Baros was flattened in the
penalty area.

In the end there was no question. The night - and maybe the football
year - belonged to Benitez. As the Kop sang so passionately, it could
not have been in better hands.

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Wednesday, May 04, 2005

[lfc-news] Milan scrape through to final - PA

PA Sport, 4 May 2005
MILAN SCRAPE THROUGH TO FINAL

AC Milan duly took their place in the Champions League final against
Liverpool, but only just.

It took a 90th-minute goal from Massimo Ambrosini to take the Italian
giants through despite a 3-1 second-leg defeat.

Milan, up 2-0 from the first leg, flirted with elimination before
eventually going through on the away goals rule.

PSV started the second leg with a mountain to climb, but armed with the
knowledge that Milan collapsed to a 4-0 defeat in Coruna last season,
they set about the task with gusto.

And within nine minutes they'd halved the deficit as South Korean World
Cup star Ji-Sung Park blasted a left-shoot high into the Milan net.

The Dutch champions dominated the the opening period and could have been
level on aggregate before half-time when Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink hit
the bar with a header.

They did level the tie up at 2-2 overall midway through the second half
when Phillip Cocu rose superbly to head home a fine left-wing cross from
Pyo-Young Lee.

The game appeared to be heading for extra-time when Ambrosini headed
home a cross from Kaka at the near post.

Now PSV needed to score twice in stoppage time, and they did get one
when Cocu volleyed home superbly.

But there was no time for them to get another and the evening ended in
heartbreak for Guus Hiddink's side.

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[lfc-news] Liverpool are back at football's high altar - Post

Liverpool Daily Post, 4 May 2005
Liverpool are back at football's high altar
Now it's up to the fans to book their place for the Champions League
Final. Andy Kelly reports

THOUSANDS of Liverpool FC fans will wake up with a hangover and just one
thought this morning after last night's famous semi-final victory over
Chelsea - how on earth am I going to get over to Istanbul?

The Champions League final will be held in the Ataturk Olympic Stadium
in the south of the city on Wednesday, May 25, exactly three weeks today.

Turkey is without doubt one of the more difficult destinations Liverpool
fans have ever had to try to reach to attend a European final.

As the name implies, the stadium - home to Galatasaray since 2003 - was
actually built to support Istanbul's ultimately unsuccessful bid to host
the 2012 Olmypics which London remains in the running for.

Capacity is normally 80,597 but for the Champions League final this will
be reduced to just under 70,000.

Some seats will not be on sale due to security arrangements, media
arrangements or obstructed views.

Liverpool FC and their final opponents will be granted around 20,000
tickets each.

It is likely the LFC tickets will be distributed on a priority system
similar to that employed for last night's semi-final.

The rest of the tickets for the Istanbul stadium are split between UEFA,
the national football associations of Europe, media and sponsors.

An internet lottery for 7,500 tickets for "neutral" fans also took place
between March 31 and April 16.

Fans had the chance to apply for two final tickets with successful
applicants chosen by lottery. Winners will be informed by email by
Monday at the latest.

The highest proportion of the applications (30%) were received from
England and almost certainly from Liverpool and Chelsea fans
anticipating a semi-final victory.

Italy accounted for around 13% but applications came from 88 countries.

Lonsdale Travel, the official travel partners of LFC, are planning to
run day trips and overnight stays to Istanbul, and will have details
available for fans from around 6pm tonight via their website.

Last night, Vicky Harding, spokeswoman for Lonsdale's sports division,
said: "We're anticipating a very busy morning answering enquiries but
all the details will not be released until 6pm.

"The club have also asked us not to start taking bookings until next
Monday evening (May 9).

"We've had a lot of calls since the Juve game and again following the
first leg with Chelsea.

"We're hoping we will have around 5,000 tickets available to us for our
packages, though we're not 100% sure yet.

"The club may operate a priority scheme like they did for the Chelsea game.

"People who travel with us have to be a member of the European Travel
Club or a Season Ticket Holder anyway. We are trying to work out what
hotel space is available before determining how the packages are split
and we've had things on hold for a while."

Robin Tudor, corporate affairs manager at Liverpool John Lennon Airport,
said JLA was expecting some of its busiest ever days for the Champions
League Final.

He said: "The companies which book the charter planes for the European
games have already been in touch and are talking about phenomenal numbers.

"There is talk 40,000 people may be travelling. What tends to happen is
that the London branch of the LFC supporters will fly from down there
and there will certainly be flights from Manchester as well but we are
looking forward to welcoming thousands of fans setting off right here in
Liverpool.

"We're already into the summer season now with the start of May and
these could be some of our busiest days ever."

Historically, of course, many fans will be making their own way to the
final and internet sites will be trawled this morning as thousands try
to work out the most cost effective way of getting to the club's most
important game for 20 years.

Supporters' sites are already suggesting routes via Bulgaria while
others may be tempted to holiday in Turkey's traditional resorts on the
Mediterranean coast before risking an internal trip on public transport
to make it to Istanbul.

* TICKETS for the final will be priced at seven different levels - 150
euro, 130 euro, 110 euro, 100 euro, 90 euro, 50 euro and disabled, 20 euro.

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[lfc-news] Special One was in the Reds' dug-out - Echo

Liverpool Echo, 4 May 2005
Special One was in the Reds' dug-out
Analysis by David Prentice, Liverpool Echo

THE only thing which went wrong for Liverpool on an unprecedented
Anfield night took place in the Main Stand conference room minutes after
the final whistle.

Jose Mourinho, moody and melancholy, arrived to deliver his post-match
analysis and slouched in a chair, while Gene Kelly's anthem to
happiness, 'Singin in The Rain', boomed around the room.

The latest car advert to use the famous musical number was on TV, and
embarrassed Anfield officials couldn't find the off switch. One by one,
the TVs shut down, but still the music boomed out of an overhead speaker.

While Mourinho's chin sagged, Gene crooned cheesily on about "a smile on
his face." Finally,, the music stopped and Mourinho began - and
confirmed that, despite the defeat, he was still the special one.

"Yes, I am still the special one," he said. "For sure. Do you want to
try and succeed in your job like I have in mine? You have no chance.
Different careers, yes. But you have no chance."

His questioner would surely concede that his achievements have indeed
been special. But last night he ran out of that special something.

The tactic of tossing a big centre-half up front for the last 20 minutes
went out of fashion here on Merseyside when Mick Lyons called it a day.

But, with Chelsea foundering on the heroic rearguard wall that was
Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher and Traore, all Chelsea had in response was
giant centre-half Robert Huth, tossed on to see if he could get onto the
end of long balls launched at the heart of the Liverpool defence.

We've come to expect a little more than that from the smart, urbane
coach. Or had he simply run out of ideas.

Perhaps, even, the special one was actually the quiet, unassuming
Spaniard who sat in the opposite dug-out.

In less than 10 months, Rafael Benitez has guided Liverpool back to the
scene they have regarded as their birthright, but haven't been near for
20 long years . . . a European Cup final. And to do so he has outwitted
and out-manouevred some of the finest tactical minds in Europe.

Mourinho went the same way as Fabio Capello before him.

Carried along on a cyclone of cacophonous noise, Liverpool scored early,
just as they had done against Juventus.

Forget the arguments about whether the ball did or didn't cross the Kop
goal-line. It looked over from whatever TV angle you cared to examine it
from - and, as Benitez pointed out afterwards, if the goal hadn't been
awarded a penalty and a red card for Petr Cech surely would have been.
With Duff and Robben sidelined, Chelsea were appallingly short of width.

Dudek didn't have a save to make until the 66th minute, and then he made
a fine one from a Frank Lampard free-kick.

Benitez kept making shrewd and influential changes, and his side
remained in control.

With Baros' energy beginning to diminish and Chelsea becoming
increasingly desperate, he introduced the pace and directness of Djibril
Cisse.

The crowd wondered when Didi Hamann began to run on empty and he was
replaced by the free spirit that is Harry Kewell. But it worked.

Then, when Garcia began to flag, the enthusiasm of Antonio Nunez was
introduced.

It was strangely symbolic that the last meaningful kick of the tie
should go to Eidur Gudjohnsen. People thought he had made the most
meaningful impact on last night's second leg with his last minute tumble
at the end of the first.

But while Xabi Alonso watched intently from the back of the directors'
box, Gudjohnsen flashed a 96th minute chance - Chelsea's only real
chance of the night - narrowly wide of the Kop goal.

That confirmed Liverpool's place in their first European Cup final for
20 years - and the opportunity to add their name to the illustrious
clubs who have won the trophy five times or more.

Real Madrid and AC Milan are special clubs.

So, too, is Liverpool. And so, it seems, is the manager guiding them -
even if he doesn't feel the need to tell us so.

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[lfc-news] Liverpool passion conquers all - Telegraph

Daily Telegraph, 4 May 2005
Liverpool passion conquers all
By Paul Hayward

When Liverpool pierced the defences of the new Premiership champions 3½
minutes into this frantic match, the response was a thrashing and
churning in the Anfield stands. It was as if mains electricity had been
run through the Kop. So it was true. Passion and tradition could conquer
the bottomless wealth of Roman Abramovich.

Margins, margins. Fractions divide glory and despair. Luis Garcia's prod
crosses the line and Liverpool reach their first European Cup final for
20 years. The officials decide the evidence is inconclusive and maybe
the Russian machine rolls on to Istanbul. Chelsea are spent, all played
out. Liverpool are reborn.

Tumult and uproar from beginning to end. And that was just in the VIP
seats, where Abramovich jigged and clapped in nervous anticipation, and
the pain of having to watch from the stands showed in the faces of
Chelsea's Damien Duff (injured) and Xabi Alonso of Liverpool, who was
suspended after a disputed first-leg booking. Alonso's eyes moistened as
You'll Never Walk Alone filled the spring air. No overseas player could
fail to be moved by this rousing, tear-inducing anthem to hope.

With woolly hat pulled down, Duff shook Abramovich's hand and then
joined the other wealthy non-combatants in the Chelsea seats. The prize:
a place in the European Cup final, probably against AC Milan. No wonder
the mood was volcanic. No wonder Abramovich's men, courtiers to the new
Russian royalty, writhed in their seats, the weekend's celebrations a
distant and useless memory.

Without the flying Irishman, Duff, and his Dutch colleague, Arjen
Robben, who started on the bench, Chelsea were to be Jose's wingless
wonders. In the early phases, they lacked the appetite and dynamism
normally associated with champions in possession of a 33-point lead over
the fifth-placed team in the league.

Amid the euphoria of Bolton on Saturday night, it was valid to wonder
whether the adrenaline and intensity might have dropped just a fraction
by the time Chelsea came to their next big test, only four days after
the last.

A thought kept rearing up. Chelsea only wanted victory last night.
Liverpool needed it. Mourinho's men could see their faces reflected in
the Carling Cup and Premiership trophy. Liverpool were gazing into the
dark pool of disappointment. At times in the first half Chelsea played
like a team whose season was already over. You could imagine Mourinho
repeating his half-time speech from the Reebok: "Give me the shirt. Give
me and Steve Clarke the shirts!"

"Keep enjoying it. We're halfway there," declared the stadium announcer
as the teams were about to resume hostilities. Risky.

Mourinho's motivational and tactical skills have been among Chelsea's
biggest assets. His team were first out. At their heart, their
indomitable captain, John Terry, smacked his hands together and demanded
one last flourish on English soil.

Terry knew, as we all did, that Chelsea had been the less potent force
in the first Anfield European Cup semi-final since John Wark, Ian Rush
(two) and Jim Beglin put four past Panathinaikos in 1985. A fifth goal
from Mark Lawrenson in Athens followed, before the calamity of Heysel.
Until then, the map of Europe was painted red. But then the sun set on
the Liverpool empire. The Kop, awash with passion, could sense it rising
over the Mersey once more.

For them, the second half must have been pure torture, yet they sang,
chanted and harangued Chelsea's players to the end. They watched Mateja
Kezman replace the ineffectual Tiago, and Robben finally come on for Joe
Cole. An hour had passed before Chelsea forced a real save from Jerzy
Dudek. It was time to find out whether Chelsea could wring one more drop
of majesty from their fine season, as Manchester United kept doing in
their Treble-winning season of 1999. An away goal - a tap-in, maybe -
would do.

Now that this all-Premiership skirmish is behind us, English football
dispatches a European Cup finalist for only the second time in 21 years.
For all the investment and hyperbole, the Premier League's flag has
flown over the continent just once: in 1999, when Manchester United
conquered Bayern Munich.

This was the subtext last night. The English game needs to punch its
weight in Europe. Even with so many foreign imports - only five of last
night's starting 22 were native born - Premiership clubs have stumbled
over the same late cliff as England, the nearly-men of the international
game. The combined might of Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and
Liverpool would have seemed a toy army had the semi-final draw not
guaranteed an English finalist in Istanbul three weeks from today.

Abramovich parachuting into English football has been an astonishing
tale. Another belting yarn is Liverpool beating Bayer Leverkusen,
Juventus and the English champions after losing 10 Premiership games
away from home (13 in all) while also falling to Burnley in the FA Cup.
Romance beats finance. Anfield will shake from the noise for week.

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Tuesday, May 03, 2005

[lfc-news] Carragher focussed on final - PA

PA Sport, 3 May 2005
CARRAGHER FOCUSSED ON FINAL

Liverpool's man of the match, Jamie Carragher, stressed that the team
could not afford to bask in the glory of beating Chelsea 1-0 to reach
the final of the Champions League as they had to go on and win the trophy.

Luis Garcia's controversial fourth-minute goal - television replays
could not prove whether it had crossed the line before William Gallas
cleared it - proved the decider at Anfield after the first leg had
finished goalless.

Carragher and Sami Hyypia stood firm in the face of sustained Chelsea
pressure but despite ecstatic scenes at the final whistle the England
defender said they could not allow their focus to drift

"This club has been built on those type of nights and they have been
taken away from us in the last few years but we were desperate to get
back to those nights," he told ITV1.

"I hasn't really sunk in yet. There were great scenes at the end but at
the end of the day it is only a semi-final.

"This is not finished, there is still a cup to be won."

Carragher admitted the goal may have been fortunate but he added: "I
think we were due a bit of luck against Chelsea. Whether it was in or
our not, it was our turn."

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was full of praise for Carragher, who
has been the Reds' most consistent and committed performer all season.

"What a performance, this guy put in an immense performance,
unbelievable," he said.

"Chelsea put us under pressure but we defended well. We beat the
[Premiership] champions today. It was the first time in five goes [this
season] but it was worth the wait."

Gerrard too was unconcerned about the debate raging over the goal.

"We are in the final, whether it was a goal or not," he said, before
going on to praise the the supporters who made it such a special night.

"It is hard to find words to describe the fans."

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez believes the crowd at Anfield inspired his
players to their fantastic victory.

Benitez told ITV1 the key to the 1-0 win: "To work hard and have our
supporters behind us and believe until the end. When you have your
supporters behind you, you run a little bit more."

The former Valencia boss, who won the UEFA Cup last season, believes his
side could have been awarded a penalty if Luis Garcia had not scored
after Petr Cech had brought down Milan Baros.

Benitez added: "I haven't seen (the goal), maybe it's a red card for the
goalkeeper and a penalty."

But the Spaniard believes his side deserved to win the tie to send them
in the final where they will probably meet AC Milan, who lead PSV
Eindhoven 2-0 going into tomorrow's second leg.

He added: "We had a good game, the same as the first leg.

"We need to enjoy it today, if Milan is the team we will try."

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said he hoped Liverpool went on to win the
final in Istanbul later this month but, in typical style, claimed his
team deserved to have gone through on the night.

"The best team lost and we are very sad we did but at the same time we
must understand what football is," he told ITV1.

The Portuguese manager referred to the Chelsea's victory over Liverpool
in the Carling Cup final when the Reds scored in the first minute but
then spent the rest of the match defending and lost in extra-time.

"This game was a copy of the game in Cardiff where one team scored a
goal in the beginning of the game," he added.

"In Cardiff it was a wonderful goal (by John Arne Riise). In this,
no-one knows if it's a goal - not even the linesman.

"Tactics is with Rafa. He is responsible for them and they are happy
they reached the final.

"I don't want to criticise them but they played the way they wanted,
they fought a lot. I have to give them credit for that.

"We are disappointed but at the same time I am very proud of my players

"And from my heart I hope Liverpool win [the Champions League]."

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[lfc-news] Chelsea report - PA

PA Sport, 3 May 2005
Liverpool 1 Chelsea 0 (agg: 1-0)
By Mark Bradley, PA Sport Chief Football Writer

Anfield has a new crop of legends. Twenty years after their last
appearance in the European Cup final ended in tragedy at Heysel,
Liverpool are finally - and deservedly - back.

Luis Garcia's fourth-minute strike was enough to secure a dramatic
victory against Chelsea as the Blues endured the pain of a second
consecutive semi-final defeat.

However, that was just half the story on a night of sheer,
gut-wrenching, spine-tingling emotional drama.

While history can sometimes cripple a club with expectation, it can also
be inspirational and this was yet another European glory night to savour
at Anfield.

From Inter Milan in 1965, to Bruges in 1976, St Etienne in 1977 and,
more recently, Barcelona, Roma and Juventus, many sides have buckled in
front of the incredible power of the Kop. And so it proved again.

Liverpool, under the astute leadership of Benitez, were carried to
victory by their fans as they played their hearts out in providing
England with a first Champions League finalist in six years.

Rafa Benitez's side may not have won the competition just yet. Indeed,
AC Milan may yet face them in the final.

However this team - an incredible 33 points behind Chelsea in the league
- have already over-achieved this season in getting this far. They had
been written off by many, but prevailed all the same.

It was new wealth against the aristocracy of English football, a team
that won its second title in 100 years just three days earlier against a
club with 18 domestic titles and four European Cups.

Chelsea were left to reflect on what could have been, but also what has
been. For, with the title added to the Carling Cup, it has still been an
historic season for Jose Mourinho's side.

This was nevertheless just one step too far at the end of the marathon.

In truth, the Blues hit the physical wall about two weeks ago and not
even Mourinho could inspire them any further as Eidur Gudjohnsen flashed
a late chance agonisingly wide.

Chelsea - without either Damien Duff or Arjen Robben - had been faced by
a cacophonous atmosphere not matched anywhere else in the country from
the moment they walked out.

And just as they had done against Juventus in the quarter-finals,
Liverpool were inspired into surging forward straight from the kick-off.

With just over three minutes gone, Steven Gerrard flicked the ball
forward and Milan Baros hurtled after it, just managing to lob it over
Petr Cech before being brought crashing to the ground.

Referee Michel Lubos refused a penalty but Garcia was onto the ball in a
flash, clipping it goalwards, with the spin ensuring William Gallas
could not recover in time to hook it off the line.

Now Chelsea really needed to show what they are made of. Instead, they
seemed transfixed by the intensity of the occasion and the home side's
suffocating pressure.

Liverpool, with Dietmar Hamann in for the suspended Xabi Alonso, were
tackling as if their careers depended on it and were winning not only
the 50-50 balls, but most of the 40-60 tackles as well.

Then again, Chelsea only had to score once to go through on away goals
and there was no need for any panic in their ranks.

Indeed, both sides, with just one frontline striker each, traded blows
without ever threatening to break through again before the interval.

Didier Drogba burst onto Joe Cole's pass but could not turn inside the
immaculate Jamie Carragher, and Chelsea patently lacked any natural width.

Benitez was living every moment on the touchline, while Mourinho was
rather more subdued. But then he had re-energised his side against
Fulham and Bolton with motivational half-time team talks.

Once again, Chelsea tried to respond but Liverpool held firm, albeit
while rather uncertain about whether to twist or hold.

They soon had little choice. Djibril Cisse was brought on for Baros to
provide fresh legs up front, but Mourinho responded with Mateja Kezman
and Robben on for Cole and Tiago with 22 minutes left.

With Drogba having curled one free-kick wastefully over the bar and
Jerzy Dudek tipping another fierce effort by Lampard around the post
Chelsea needed the inspiration of even a half-fit Robben.

Carragher was nevertheless indefatigable, producing one vital block from
Robben, although Gerrard soon matched him with a last-ditch tackle on
the Dutchman.

There were red shirts everywhere that Chelsea turned.

On came the towering figure of defender Robert Huth for Geremi with 15
minutes, flung up front to unsettle the home side.

Liverpool's hearts fluttered every time that Chelsea broke over the
half-way line, but still they held firm.

Two idiotic fans held up play by running onto the pitch - one flinging a
flag in Mourinho's face - but even then Liverpool did not lose their
composure.

Cisse's shot was deflected wide on the break and Cech denied the striker
a second time when clean through. Anfield throbbed in expectation.

The Kop even had to cope with six minutes of injury-time, with
Gudjohnsen flashing a shot inches wide with the goal seemingly at his mercy.

Eventually the final whistle blew and Anfield erupted. It was, indeed,
the stuff of legends.

Liverpool: Dudek, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Traore, Hamann (Kewell 72),
Biscan, Luis Garcia (Nunez 84), Riise, Gerrard, Baros (Cisse 59).
Subs Not Used: Carson, Smicer, Warnock, Welsh.
Booked: Baros.
Goals: Luis Garcia 4.

Chelsea: Cech, Geremi (Huth 76), Ricardo Carvalho, Terry, Gallas, Tiago
(Kezman 68), Makelele, Lampard, Cole (Robben 68), Drogba, Gudjohnsen.
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Johnson, Forssell, Nuno Morais. Agg (1-0)

Att: 42,529
Ref: Lubos Michel (Slovakia).

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[lfc-news] Johansson opens door to the Reds - Guardian

The Guardian, 3 May 2005
Johansson opens door to the Reds
By Dominic Fifield

Uefa's president Lennart Johansson has suggested that Liverpool could
yet be allowed to defend the Champions League next season should they
win the competition this year but finish outside the Premiership's top four.

Johansson said Uefa would be open to discuss the prospect of granting
England an unprecedented fifth place in next season's competition should
Liverpool, currently fifth in the league, overcome Chelsea in tomorrow's
semi-final second leg and go on to win the trophy in Istanbul next
month. Previously Uefa had insisted only four teams from any one country
could play in the Champions League.

"The door is always open," Johansson told BBC Radio 5 Live. "This is a
very demanding case but it doesn't mean it cannot be discussed.
Liverpool are welcome with their point of view. They can make any
proposal and we will deal with it and we will give them a quick answer.
We are there to serve football and not just dictate.

"If there is a possibility to make an exception for the winner of the
Champions League then there could be an additional place. It is for the
executive committee to decide and anything can be granted if they decide
to go to the member associations and ask for a change in the
regulations. But it would be unfair on Everton who have played the whole
season and qualified via fourth place to then exclude them."

That concession has been privately welcomed on Merseyside, though
neither Liverpool nor Everton will address the issue publicly until the
outcome of the semi-final is clear. "It's not a live debate at this
stage," said Liverpool's chief executive Rick Parry. "There is clearly
an element of inconsistency within the rules. On the one hand there is a
desire for the champions to participate but equally a very clear rule
that says no country can have more than four participants.

"That works fine providing the champions always finish within the top
four which I guess they generally do. But it's Uefa's responsibility -
after all, it is their competition and it's for them to address what
should happen to the winner. I don't think it is appropriate that
national associations should be left with such extraordinarily difficult
decisions."

Johansson intends to tighten the rules next season. "In my opinion the
rule is already there," he said, "but if there are exceptions to the
rule then we have to clarify the situation and make a clear statement
about it."

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[lfc-news] Past glories fan Anfield fire - Telegraph

Daily Telegraph, 3 May 2005
Past glories fan Anfield fire
By Paul Hayward

At the Stanley pub near Liverpool's ground yesterday the star attraction
was 'Babs - The Queen of Karaoke.' But there's a much bigger show next
door tonight. As Roy Evans, a Boot Room graduate, once remarked:
"Anfield without European football is like a banquet without wine."

The red half of Merseyside has whipped itself into a frenzy over
continental contests ever since Bill Shankly changed the strip to
all-scarlet on the eve of the 3-0 victory over Anderlecht in November,
1964, in the club's inaugural European campaign. Using his "colossus,"
Ron Yeats, as his model for the new uniform, Shankly exclaimed: "That's
it! You look about 9ft tall in that kit". White shorts were dumped,
along with Liverpool's parochial past.

Some think Liverpool, the city, looks inwards. Socially, it probably
does. But in football it faces Europe, the great stage on which Bob
Paisley and Joe Fagan masterminded four triumphs in the competition
Liverpool and Chelsea contest this evening. Anyone who witnessed the 2-1
home victory over Juventus in the previous round can still feel the
vibrations in their bones. The noise and mood evoked Shankly's promise
to make Liverpool "untouchable" and "a bastion of invincibility" to
which "everyone would have to submit".

While Babs was stretching her vocal cords, Jamie Carragher, a successor
to Yeats in the heart of the Liverpool defence, responded to suggestions
that Chelsea will need ear-plugs if they are to stop the Anfield roar
scrambling their heads.

"A lot of them are big players, international players, but I'm sure this
atmosphere will be something they've never experienced before,"
Carragher agreed. "No disrespect to Stamford Bridge, but it'll be
something else here. The Juventus atmosphere and the Olympiakos
atmosphere will be eclipsed, and it will be up there with Saint-Etienne
and the great days of the past. Speaking to people on the street,
they're so desperate to get those days back. They can smell it. We're
very close to getting back where we were in the past and that will
create the special atmosphere."

Only a seat in the stands on a big European night can furnish the
sceptic with the Richter scale reading he needs to understand the mania
for European football on Merseyside. The club's history is inseparable
from the story of club football's most important testing ground. So
tonight's all-Premiership clash has assumed a dimension way beyond mere
bragging rights in England. For Liverpool the chance to reach the final
in Istanbul on May 25 is an opportunity to heal the rupture between the
present and the past.

Carragher again: "The club has been built on success in the Sixties,
Seventies and Eighties, and all of a sudden it's just gone. We had a
little spell under Gérard Houllier, but the crowd can sense that these
are the days they had 20 years ago. They'll make the most of it.

"We're a long way behind Chelsea in the Premiership, but you saw the
effect the crowd had when we played Juventus - and you'd have to put
them on a par with Chelsea. We're looking for that kind of performance
again. We are underdogs. They've proved what a good side they are by
winning the Premiership ahead of Arsenal and Man United. When this draw
was made, Chelsea were strong favourites. Now they're slight favourites,
so we've bridged the gap a little bit."

Asked whether he considers this the biggest game of his career,
Carragher replied with familiar sense: "It's on a par with the finals
[the FA, League and UEFA Cups of 2001] when there were trophies at
stake. You feel like the whole world's watching. I never miss these big
Champions League semi-finals and finals, because that's where the top
players and the top teams play. We've got this chance and we may never
play at this level again."

A throwback to the great academy days, Carragher embodies the Shankly
principles of tenacity and hunger that were instilled in Yeats, Tommy
Smith, Emlyn Hughes, Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson - his predecessors
in the central defensive positions. His conversion from full-back is one
of Rafa Benitez's smartest moves.

"Credit to the manager and a big thank you to him for that," Carrager
said. "The first thing he did was buy a new right-back. I was a bit
worried when they brought Josemi in. But I'd played a few games at
centre-half at the end of last season and I started this one there, on
the back of that."

In one sense Liverpool need success tonight more than Chelsea, who have
already captured two trophies. "Yes, this could define our season. If we
go out I'm sure the headlines will say we're fifth in the league and
have been knocked out of the Champions League," Carragher remarked. "I'm
aware of that, but we've just got to focus on the game and be positive
and believe we can go through. This is the biggest club competition you
can win. I know some Chelsea players said the Premiership was their
priority at the start of the season, but that's out of the way for them
now. Hopefully we do want it a little bit more - and will show that out
on the pitch."

Liverpool's feelings for European football were not always unequivocal.
"Don't get me wrong. I'm not one of those people who believes the world
ends at the white cliffs of Dover", Shankly once said. "I'm all for the
Common Market. My only concern is to halt a naïve swing in the opposite
direction, and the belief that the Latins rules the waves".

It's the Russians (Roman Abramovich) and Portuguese (Jose Mourinho) who
throw down the gauntlet tonight. Babs had better drop the karaoke mic
and join the Anfield chorus. Liverpool need all the support they can get.

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Liverpool FC Stuff - Anfield Road

Saturday, May 07, 2005

[lfc-news] Inside the mind of Rafa Benitez - Official Site

Friday, May 06, 2005

[lfc-news] Rafa rubbishes Guti link - Official Site

[lfc-news] Carragher third in Football Writers' vote - Echo

[lfc-news] Reds will be tough say Milan - Echo

[lfc-news] Benitez: We must treat Arsenal visit like cup final - Echo

Thursday, May 05, 2005

[lfc-news] FA reveal Champions League ruling - PA

[lfc-news] Anfield becoming drunk on Benitez's special brew - Post

[lfc-news] Baros claims a penalty as Sky attempt to settle Garcia goal debate - Post

[lfc-news] Parry: Win was about trophies, not money - Echo

[lfc-news] Benitez: I'll stay for 20 years - Echo

[lfc-news] Liverpool hails the new king of the Kop - Independent

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

[lfc-news] Milan scrape through to final - PA

[lfc-news] Liverpool are back at football's high altar - Post

[lfc-news] Special One was in the Reds' dug-out - Echo

[lfc-news] Liverpool passion conquers all - Telegraph

Tuesday, May 03, 2005

[lfc-news] Carragher focussed on final - PA

[lfc-news] Chelsea report - PA

[lfc-news] Johansson opens door to the Reds - Guardian

[lfc-news] Past glories fan Anfield fire - Telegraph

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