JOHANN CRUYFF reckons Barcelonas Champions League dreams
could be left high and dry by Liverpools aerial assault. The Dutch
legend is convinced the club he managed to European Cup glory in
1992 are more than capable of defending the trophy they lifted in
May. But he sees Rafa Benitezs Reds as a very genuine threat when
they come to the Nou Camp for the first leg of Wednesdays last-16
clash.
Cruyff, who also won four La Liga titles in charge of Barca,
believes 6ft 7in beanpole hitman Peter Crouch and strike pal Dirk
Kuyt pose the biggest danger. He insisted: Barcelona against
Liverpool is the absolute top match in the Champions League and,
normally speaking, it shouldnt be a problem for Barca. But the
last times I saw Liverpool playing I have to say that, with Kuyt
and Crouch up front, they played some excellent stuff.
The two of them form an enormously good partnership. Crouch is
technically better than folk think and Kuyts positional play is
very good in the air nobody wins anything against them.
If Barcelona are forced back, then every throw-in or set-piece
will result in a problem. With English teams you have to make sure
that you are as far away as possible from your own goal.
Boss Benitez is close to agreeing a pre-contract deal for Ukraine
hitman Andriy Voronin. The Bayer Leverkusen striker is available on
a free in the summer and Benitez has stolen a march on a host of
interested clubs.
Voronin, 27, played the entire 90 minutes of the midweek UEFA Cup
win over Blackburn but the German outfit have been reluctant to
renew his current deal.
