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At least one English team will definitely play in this year's UEFA Champions League final in Turkey. And today, at the legendary Anfield Stadium, it will be revealed which team - led by billionaire Roman Abramovich and the eccentric coach Jose Mourinho, who has amazed football fans this season with unexpected victories and sensational defeats.
The first leg of this tie took place last Wednesday at Stamford Bridge in London. There, Liverpool not only successfully defended but also counterattacked dangerously and kept their goal dry. However, they also failed to score. Despite that, almost everyone agrees that Liverpool's result is good. Yet, any draw except 0-0 will not open the path to the final for the hosts, but rather for the Chelsea club.
Chelsea is also celebrating. And they have a reason to - the team triumphed in the English championship for the first time in 50 years. With three matches left to play, they secured the title by defeating Bolton away. Jose Mourinho understands that the pressure is on Liverpool, saying: "I think Liverpool feel the pressure. We will return to London as heroes, regardless of how Tuesday's match plays out. I can imagine Anfield if they lose. I can imagine what it will mean to their fans."
Indeed, this year's success in the Champions League unexpectedly became Liverpool's almost only way to maintain their position in the most prestigious European club football tournament for the next few years. Wins in the English championship are accompanied by painful and unexpected losses to mid-table teams. Specialists have noticed that Liverpool plays completely differently in the Champions League than in England - well-organized, with a goal in mind and knowing how to achieve it.
The main weapon of the "Reds" against Chelsea is team captain Steven Gerrard. He is a player who, despite rejecting a lucrative offer from a London club in the summer, can change the course of the game for his team in a beneficial way. This was noted by Liverpool coach R. Benitez, who expects an excellent performance from one of England's best midfielders in today's match. The player himself also stated that this is the most important match of his career.
According to R. Benitez, the ideal scenario for the match would be if his team scored the only goal in the last minute of the game. This year, these two teams already faced each other in the Carling Cup final, where Liverpool scored a goal in the first minute and maintained the lead until the 79th minute, but eventually lost 2-3 after extra time.
"If you start the match at a high pace and score one goal, people will say - good, that's enough, but it won't be enough against Chelsea," said R. Benitez, who will have the recovered German defender Didi Hamann in his team today after an injury.
Many consider the famous atmosphere at Anfield Stadium to be a huge advantage for Liverpool. Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho, in his typical style, stated: "Fans don't play - 11 players against 11 play on the field. When we left London, we had two tasks - to secure the English champions title and return after reaching the UEFA Champions League final. We accomplished one goal, and we'll see about the other."
Predicted starting lineups:
Liverpool (4-4-2): J.Dudek; S.Finnan, S.Hyypia, D.Traore, J.Carragher; S.Gerrard, D.Hamman, I.Biscan, J.A.Riise; L.Garcia, M.Baros;
Chelsea (4-4-2): P.Cech; G.Johnson, R.Carvalho, W.Gallas, J.Terry; C.Makelele, F.Lampard, J.Cole, A.Robben; E.Gudjohnsen, D.Drogba
