Champions League: Semi Final, 1st Leg - Apr 22 / 23

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Champions League: Semi Final, Leg 1

Tuesday, 22 April 2008

Wednesday, 23 April 2008

Match on Tv:

Tuesday, 22 April 2008

Channel 23 - ESPN.

Liverpool v Chelsea - 02:45 AM - (Live) - (Wed Morning)

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Wednesday 23 April 2008

Channel 23 - ESPN.

Barcelona v Man Utd - 2:45 AM - (Live) - (Thur Morning)

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Carra: Kop must be on Ful alert

JAMIE CARRAGHER has urged Liverpool to ignore the distractions around Anfield — or risk letting slip the final Champions League slot.

Reds must handle off-the-field uncertainty and a Champions League semi-final with Chelsea. But Carragher worries that could mean a lack of focus at Fulham in the league on Saturday. And that may signal a repeat of last year’s shock defeat — putting fourth place in jeopardy.

Defender Carragher said: “We’ve got to concentrate on Fulham. “If we took our eye off them we could end up losing and maybe with it a bit of confidence for when we play Chelsea.

“Fulham are fighting for their lives and it will be tough. They need the points as much as us. “We must keep our form going as Everton will take it to the wire.”

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Liverpool v Chelsea

Frank Lampard returned to training yesterday for the first time since he dashed from Stamford Bridge before last Monday's game against Wigan to be with his seriously ill mother in hospital.

But it does not definitely mean he will be part of Chelsea's squad who travel to Liverpool for Tuesday's Champions League semi-final first leg.

Steven Gerrard can expect a tap on the shoulder from Rafa Benitez as the Liverpool manager seeks the truth about his captain's fitness ahead of the Anfield clash.

Gerrard hopes to play despite a neck injury sustained as he planted a succession of powerful headers into the net during a training routine last week.

"He scored four or five with his head and I told the other players to start looking for other team-mates because every cross went to him," said Benitez, as he arched his back to mime a good solid header.

"After four or five, he felt his neck."

The Liverpool boss is wary of potential complications with any neck injury. But a joking Benitez was able to make light of Gerrard's problem, which emphasised the relaxed mood in the Anfield dressing room at a time of boardroom chaos.

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Steven Gerrard has been declared fit to lead Liverpool in their Champions League semi-final first leg at home to Chelsea on Tuesday.

The Anfield skipper trained on Monday at Melwood, and afterwards manager Rafael Benitez was able to confirm that the 27-year-old had recovered from the neck injury which ruled him out of Saturday's Premier League win at Fulham.

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Didier Drogba and Co have a giggle in training yesterday

DIDIER DROGBA has laughed off the threat posed by Liverpool and said: “We’ve nothing to be scared of.”

The Chelsea striker reckons his side are destined to be crowned kings of Europe in Moscow and will put their Anfield jinx behind them. On the eve of tonight’s Champions League semi-final first leg, Drogba said: “I’m not in the least bit worried about them.

“They may have beaten us in the last two Euro semis but this Chelsea team is perfectly capable of winning at Anfield. “And how absolutely beautiful that would be!”

Drogba insists Avram Grant’s Blues hold all the aces. He added: “The key is to get hold of the tie at Anfield from the start. "And I think it’s also vital that this semi will be decided at Stamford Bridge, which neither of our two previous defeats to Liverpool have been.

“Their manager Rafa Benitez is clever at putting out a team which is fresh for the Champions League because they have such a big squad. Just look at the way they were almost out at 2-2 against Arsenal in the quarter-final.

But they shocked everyone with two goals in six minutes. "But we’ve been visualising lifting the trophy for so many seasons. now we believe we can make it reality.”

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Frank Lampard has rejoined Chelsea's squad for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final with Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday. The Chelsea vice-captain has missed the last two matches to be at the bedside of his mother Pat, who is ill in hospital with pneumonia.

Chelsea are still without goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini (hamstring) and striker Didier Drogba remains doubtful with a knee complaint. Midfielder Michael Essien is suspended.

Provisional squad: Cech, Hilario, Ferreira, Belletti, Terry, Alex, Carvalho, Ben-Haim, A Cole, Bridge, Makelele, Ballack, Lampard, Obi, J Cole, Malouda, Shevchenko, Drogba, Kalou, Anelka, Wright-Phillips.

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Liverpool FC host Chelsea FC in the last four for the third time in four seasons, with the London club still to register a UEFA Champions League goal at Anfield. History is also on the Reds' side as Rafael Benítez seeks to guide Liverpool to a third final in four years – the Merseysiders have never lost a semi-final in any competition to Chelsea, including both domestic cups in England.

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Liverpool: Reina, Aurelio, Carragher, Skrtel, Arbeloa, Kuyt, Babel, Alonso, Mascherano, Gerrard, Torres. Subs: Itandje, Hyypia, Riise, Benayoun, Crouch, Pennant, Lucas.

Chelsea: Cech, Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry, A Cole, Lampard, Makelele, Ballack, J Cole, Drogba, Malouda. Subs: Hilario, Shevchenko, Obi, Kalou, Alex, Belletti, Anelka.

dragg SG

final score 1 - 1

chelsea were damn lucky to get a point out of this game. liverpool could have won by a big margin if not for the heroics of peter cech.

frankly drogba werent like he used to be last season.

the subsitution of kalou for cole sucks. fielding anelka with only 5 minutes left show just how terrible avram grant is!!!

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One thing i don't understand is why didn't Riise used his right leg or left leg to clear that cross... It didn't seem too difficult a thing to do compare to a diving header to clear when the ball is so low like to his knee area... Really strange...

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final score 1 - 1

chelsea were damn lucky to get a point out of this game. liverpool could have won by a big margin if not for the heroics of peter cech.

frankly drogba werent like he used to be last season.

the subsitution of kalou for cole sucks. fielding anelka with only 5 minutes left show just how terrible avram grant is!!!

I thought what he did paid off cos Chelsea was the away team and had to defend more and Anelka isn't a player that helps out in defence... Bring him on late in the game was a good move cos by then Pool was only interested on defending and have switch off their attack mode... Anelka was that extra man that made the difference and forced Riise into making a mistake in injury time...

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wat in the world was Riise thinking?? O.o...y the dramatic diving header that led to the own goal in the dying minutes when he could have used his legs instead?

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Roman agreed bigger bouns if he can score himself rather letting water.

sand king SG

wat in the world was Riise thinking?? O.o...y the dramatic diving header that led to the own goal in the dying minutes when he could have used his legs instead?

riise is a left or right legger??

maybe cus he want to clear but he doesnt use his right leg? so opts for the diving header??

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riise is left legger

4getmenot SG

riise is left legger

hes a freaking professional.... xD .. that doesn;t gives him the right to head into his own goal... xD

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Barcelona have been strengthened by the return to fitness of Lionel Messi, who makes his first UEFA Champions League appearance since sustaining a hamstring injury in the first knockout round second leg at Celtic FC. Having been rested for the quarter-final return against AS Roma, Cristiano Ronaldo is restored to the United lineup by Sir Alex Ferguson. However there is no place for Nemanja Vidić who was injured in the first leg against the Giallorossi.
- The only two unbeaten clubs in this term's UEFA Champions League meet tonight at Camp Nou as FC Barcelona host Manchester United FC. United maybe returning to the scene of their triumph of 1999, but they will have to do something no side has done in the competition this term – avoid defeat in Barcelona. The teams have met seven times before in UEFA club competition with both sides having emerged as victors on two occasions.

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barca had 64% possession but could hardly managed a shot at goal!!!

man u got the result they wanted but they really did not play at all.

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Fergie wanted to slow the match down, they must have Chelsea in mind for Sat... a potential title decider... Anyway, te result was good from United's point of view... cos now they take it back to OT.

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Rafa did warn us about ref

RAFA BENITEZ warned his stars controversial Euro ref Konrad Plautz would favour Chelsea at Anfield. The Kop boss was furious with the Austrian official for adding four minutes injury time at the end of Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final clash.

And SunSport can reveal Benitez told his players in his pre-match talk Plautz would favour the away side. A dressing room source said: “Rafa told us not to lose our concentration because of the ref. “He warned us to be calm and not be affected because he’d be favouring Chelsea.

“Rafa said Plautz had refereed six games in Europe this season before our game and FIVE times the home side failed to win. “He reminded us he was particularly poor in our game with Marseille when we lost 1-0 at Anfield this season.”

Plautz, 44, is rated by UEFA as one of their top officials and is one of 12 refs for the Euro 2008 finals. Benitez said: “There were 94 or 95 minutes and every decision went against us. “It’s not the first time. We knew before the game it was going to be difficult with him.”