RIJKAARD EXPECTING MIGHTY CLASH
Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard has warned his side that Liverpool
will make life as tough for them on Tuesday as Sevilla did at the
weekend. Sevilla knocked Barca off top spot in the Primera Liga on
Saturday after fighting back from a goal down to claim a 2-1 home
win.
That was a blow to the Catalan giants ahead of their crucial
Champions League last-16 second leg against Liverpool, where Barca
have to overturn a 2-1 deficit, and Rijkaard admits they can expect
a similarly testing evening at Anfield.
"I hope it is a lesson we can all learn from going into Tuesday's
game as Liverpool will fight like Sevilla," he said. "There's no
time to think too much. We know what to expect against Liverpool.
It's the best time to face up to the Champions League game."
Barca missed a great chance to establish a five-point lead at the
Primera Liga summit in the match against closest challengers
Sevilla. Ronaldinho had put the reigning Spanish and European
champions 1-0 up early on and the Brazilian then had the chance to
make it 2-0 from the penalty spot in the 27th minute. But the
former FIFA World Player of the Year saw his spot-kick saved and
Sevilla, despite having a player sent off in conceding the penalty,
managed to draw level just before the break.
The home side then took a 2-1 lead in the second period when Daniel
Alves, reportedly a transfer target for Liverpool last summer,
scored from a free-kick. Barca could find no way back after that,
and also finished the match with nine men following the dismissals
of Ludovic Giuly and Gianluca Zambrotta.
Rijkaard refused to single out any individual for the loss though,
insisting the team must share collective responsibility as much
when things go right as when they go wrong. "I don't like to blame
one player," the Dutchman said.
"The goals conceded are a consequence of errors of the team
regarding aggressiveness or not being attentive. We win together
and lose together. "The defeat can be a lesson. I'm not going to
cry about the defeat, I've already said that it will not decide the
Liga," Rijkaard said.
Barca have recalled playmaker Deco and defender Lilian Thuram for
Tuesday's game. Both players were rested on Saturday, but have been
named in an 18-man travelling party for the trip to England.
Santiago Ezquerro, Juliano Belletti, Thiago Motta and Giovanni van
Bronckhorst have been omitted.
Barcelona : Victor Valdes, Albert Jorquera, Rafael
Marquez, Gianluca Zambrotta, Lilian Thuram, Carles Puyol, Oleguer
Presas, Edmilson, Sylvinho, Ludovic Giuly, Xavi Hernandez, Andres
Iniesta, Samuel Eto'o, Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, Deco, Eidur
Gudjohnsen, Javier Saviola.
