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Istanbul memories key for Barcelona president
Feb 20 2007
by Nick Smith, Liverpool Daily Post
Steven Gerrard lifts the European Cup
YOU could understand new owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks ordering a Champions League 2005 final DVD to be flown across the Atlantic as they prepared their ‘why we love Liverpool’ spiel.
And you can imagine the players replaying that great night in Istanbul as they try to summon up the inspiration that could fuel their next scheduled triumph against the odds on the continent tomorrow night.
But when it’s the opposition tuning in to relive Liverpool’s fifth lifting of Europe’s greatest prize following the sensational fightback against AC Milan two years ago, you know they’ve got them worried.
Perhaps it was Barcelona president Joan Laporta’s way of ensuring nobody would forget just what his team are up against as they try to navigate their way past the club they wrestled the trophy from last year, and into a quarter-final.
But the Nou Camp supremo is perhaps proof that whoever you are and however fierce the rivalry is at the business stage of the competition, watching Steven Gerrard gets his hands on the cup can’t fail to stir anyone’s emotions.
“I love Steven Gerrard,” said Laporta. “He is an emblem of Liverpool.
“I was watching TV last weekend and saw a replay of the Champions League final between Liverpool and AC Milan.
“It was so emotional to watch Gerrard in that game. Xabi Alonso and the goalkeeper (Jerzy Dudek) were important, but Gerrard was the heart of the team.
When he went to celebrate with the supporters after the match and to speak to them, I felt very emotional.
“Our captain, Carles Puyol, represents Barcelona in a similar way to Gerrard. He is always thinking of the team and giving to the team rather than his team-mates. He is generous to his team-mates and he is a fighter.”
While Gerrard may be an emblem, another large symbol of Liverpool’s European progress this term is Peter Crouch.
He has five goals in seven Champions League appearances so far and, after the stunning volleys Crouch steered in against Galatasaray in the Group C meeting at Anfield, Laporta knows it’s more than his height they have to be worried about.
“The other player who is difficult for us to play against is Peter Crouch,” he added. “It is good for us that our defender, Rafael Marquez, is good with his head but we know Crouch is also a good finisher with his feet.
“He came to Barcelona on a visit and asked to see us play. Someone at the club thought he was a basketball player, but I told them ‘No, he is a Liverpool player’.”
Laporta also revealed how excited he is to be swapping the 99,000-seater cauldron of the Nou Camp for what should be an even hotter atmosphere at a much smaller venue two weeks later in the second leg of the last 16 tie.
I am looking forward to the second leg because I hear Anfield is exciting for big matches,” said Laporta.
“I've never been to Liverpool before. For someone of my age who loves The Beatles, it will make it even more special. I want to go to the Cavern Club where they started.”
Less excited than the music-loving president are the players, still reeling from their 2-1 defeat to Valencia on Sunday .
And World Cup-winning defender Gianluca Zambrotta now admits he would happily settle for a 1-0 victory to take back to Liverpool.
“It is important to win,” he said. “To win 1-0 would be a good. Liverpool are a team who are very difficult to play against and who play very well at their ground.
“It is very important to make the most of this first game at home.”
Barca suffered only their third league defeat of the season at Valencia but Frank Rijkaard’s side still kept hold of top spot in the standings despite that result, and Zambrotta doubts the defeat will have much bearing on the upcoming Liverpool match.
“It is a different game because we are playing at home, in front of our fans,” he said.
“To play at the Nou Camp is to our advantage. Against Liverpool, we have to enjoy ourselves.
“It is important to win at home because Liverpool are very dangerous at Anfield.”
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Ferguson envies Liverpool record
Feb 20 2007
Liverpool Daily Post
Mr. Ferguson has challenged Manchester United to start making a dent in Liverpool’s dominance of England’s European successes.
It is a source of irritation at Old Trafford that despite over a decade of domestic success, the men from Merseyside still boast an advantage in the Champions League stakes.
Liverpool’s comeback win over AC Milan in Istanbul two seasons ago was their fifth triumph in the competition, compared with United’s two.
“When you look at the winners of the competition, yes, we could have done better,” said the Scot.
“I exclude the likes of AC Milan and Real Madrid who have been exceptional winners of it but other clubs like Ajax, Bayern Munich and Liverpool have won it four or five times, whereas we have only won it twice.
“I really think we should do better and hopefully, over the next few years, we will do that.”
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