Forget Bellamy’s golf-club-swinging assault on team-mate Riise. Forget talk of a rift in the Barcelona camp. It’s results that matter.
When Liverpool travel to the Nou Camp on Wednesday, their game plan will be to come back to the north west of England with a draw: hopefully with an away goal. They have a great record against Spanish clubs – and in fact they haven’t lost away to Barcelona – and will be hoping that Barcelona’s recent poor form and their heavy fixture list, eight games in 21 days, will count against the Spanish giants. Can the Reds do it? Yes, of course, but it’s just that Barcelona are the better side when they are playing to their potential. The return of Messi for Barcelona, and perhaps Eto’o with a huge amount to prove may just be too much for Liverpool’s defence to cope with. A huge burden is on Alonso, Sissoko (if played) and Gerrard to stifle the creativity of Xavi and Deco supplying Barca’s attack with ball, but as Gerrard has said they are confident they can do the job. Look for hard-working Kuyt to be deployed behind Crouch to pick up the scraps and hope that there is enough space for them both to work in as Barcelona chase an all important goal. Because, for them, as Zambrotta says it is important, ‘to win at home because the Reds are very dangerous at Anfield.’
The pressure is building on the Catalans and there might be more than golf clubs swinging if they lose.
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What a fantastic display by Liverpool. Sissoko was immense in the midfield and Alonso was quietly effective. My only fear is they’ll throw it away and get beaten at Anfield. As long as they play with the confidence they showed at the Nou Camp, though, they should go through, surprising a lot of pundits. MU also look good to go through, as do Chelsea, while Arsenal have left themselves a bit to do.
As long as Benitez doesn’t join them I’ll be happy!
Benitez was excellent last night, outwitting a poor Rijkaard who panicked.
If Barcelona lose the return leg, then expect the managerial merry-go-round involving Capello, Mourinho, Ancellotti and Rijkaard to begin…