BOSS: LET'S GET THEM ON BACK FOOT

Jimmy Rice 07 April 2009

Rafa Benitez today urged his team to replicate their blistering start against Real Madrid when Chelsea visit Anfield in the Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday.

Liverpool stunned the Spanish champions in the last round with two goals in the opening 30 minutes. A similar tactic was used when Juventus visited Merseyside in 2005.

Benitez knows it will be tough to take Chelsea by surprise, with the two teams having faced each other in each of the last five European campaigns.

However, the Spaniard is keen to see another high-octane performance from his side as they look to take a favourable result to Stamford Bridge.

"We have played 20 times in the last five years and we know each other really well. That makes it more difficult," Benitez told his pre-match press conference.

"We will not surprise them because we know each other really well.

"But we clearly have to play with a high tempo if we can because we have the supporters behind us. If we can start the game creating opportunities like against Real we'll have a good chance but Chelsea are a good team with experience. It will be an interesting game."

Asked if he was sick of facing Chelsea every year, Benitez added: "You know my idea: I am really pleased to be here playing Chelsea again because it means we're still in the competition. Hopefully it'll be the same for the next five years because it will mean we're still there at this stage."

Guus Hiddink is the fourth Chelsea manager Benitez has faced during his time in England.

Quizzed on the Dutchman, Benitez said: "I think he's doing well. He's a manager with great experience in different countries and with different players. My idea is that Phil Scolari is a fantastic manager but now Guus Hiddink is doing well too."

Meanwhile, Pepe Reina will become the first goalkeeper to play 50 European Cup games for Liverpool on Wednesday.

Benitez believes his custodian is among the top five in world football.

"Pepe has been fantastic for the club for the last few years," said the boss. "He's broken a lot of records and he is one of the top 'keepers in the world. One of the top five.

"He's really good in the air, he's quick. He's keen to learn and he concentrates. He trains hard and has character - there are a lot of positive things."

RAFA DISMISSES FERGIE CLAIM

Jimmy Rice 07 April 2009

Rafa Benitez today dismissed suggestions from Alex Ferguson that whoever wins the Champions League quarter-final between Liverpool and Chelsea will be the biggest threat to Manchester United in the Premier League.

The Old Trafford boss claims the loser will be knocked off their stride in the title race.

But Benitez told his pre-match press conference: "If Chelsea are not in the Champions League he knows they'll be a threat, and if Liverpool are not he knows we'll be a threat - he loses either way.

"I think they (United) have a problem because, clearly, either us or Chelsea will be able to focus on the league.

"I think he will be supporting Liverpool because we are the big threat now and if we continue in the competition maybe we'll be tired.

"You will have time to prepare for every single Premier League game (if you are eliminated), so clearly he will be supporting us.

"He likes to talk too much about other teams. I don't think it's mind games - I think maybe he's a little bit scared."

TERRY WARY OF REDS DUO

James Carroll 07 April 2009

Chelsea captain John Terry believes the partnership of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres is currently one of the best in world football.

Liverpool play host to the Londoners in the first-leg of the Champions League quarter-final tie at Anfield tomorrow and Terry admits he is concerned by the threat the double act pose to his side's European aspirations.

"They're up there with the very best in the world," the Blues skipper told reporters at a press conference when asked about the Anfield strike pair.

"Stevie is a world-class player and he's in great form at the moment. He links up very well from midfield and bombs on behind the defence.

"He's scored some great goals and supplies a lot of assists for Torres and the people around him.

"Torres poses a great threat to all defenders. We've seen over the past two years he is definitely one of the best in the world.

"As a defence we have to be very organised and not focus too much on just one of them because if we were to focus on Stevie, Torres will do the damage and the same the other way. Collectively we have to try and keep them both at bay."

Despite acknowledging the danger of Gerrard and Torres, Terry has warned his teammates they can ill-afford to underestimate the attacking menace of other members of Liverpool's squad.

He added: "You can't pinpoint one player to be their main danger. They've got three or four.

"Liverpool have got a great spine in their team with Reina, Carragher, Stevie and Torres as well as the likes of Alonso. They've got a fantastic squad.

"They're playing very well at the moment, similar to us. It's going to be a difficult game on a very big occasion and we're hoping we can be the team who comes out on top."

Terry does not believe the outcome of the tie will have any negative bearing on either side's Premier League title challenge.

"Whichever team is knocked out will really focus on the Premier League, while the other team will carry the momentum and push on in both competitions, so it works both ways," said the defender.

"One thing is for sure, both teams are really pushing Manchester United and pushing them all the way. United know ourselves and Liverpool are right behind them."

Meanwhile, Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink claims his team will go in search of an away goal to take back to Stamford Bridge.

"We will not sit back and wait until we are overcome," he asserted. "That is not the way to play football. That's not my philosophy or the team's concept.

"We will not just wait. Wherever we can, we will try and take the initiative."

Hiddink feels the winner of the tie will be decided by the performance of the players and not the managers.

"The players know each other very well, so there are no secrets," said the Blues' coach.

"It's been said the managers will have to come up with something extra, but I think this is exaggerated. The manager does not play, it is the players who execute his plans.

"We have our plan, they have theirs and in the end it will be up to the players to deliver."

RIERA EXPECTS CAGEY AFFAIR

Jimmy Rice 07 April 2009

Albert Riera expects a game of cat and mouse when Chelsea visit Anfield for the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday.

The Spaniard insists Liverpool must 'use their heads' in the first leg to ensure the tie is still there for the taking at Stamford Bridge next Tuesday.

Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Riera explained: "I think Wednesday's match is really important, but I think the match away will decide who progresses to the next round.

"For us it's important to play as a team, try to score if it's possible and keep a clean sheet, because we know that is very important when you play at home in the Champions League."

Riera also insists Liverpool cannot afford complacency following their league double over the Blues.

"The Champions League matches are different to the Premier League because in the Premier League you play for three points and you have 90 minutes to beat the other team," said the wide man.

"In the Champions League you play 90 minutes at Anfield tomorrow, but you have to play with your head and try to think about the second leg away."

Meanwhile, Riera claims he and his teammates were not too downhearted when Manchester United regained top spot in the Premier League with a last-gasp winner against Aston Villa on Sunday.

"We have to just think of ourselves. We need to win our games, we cannot do anything else," said the Spain international. "We need to believe in ourselves and continue winning as we did last Saturday.

"There are still a lot of games to play and we are in a great position. We're still fighting for the title and our mentality has to be to try and take three points from every game and see what happens at the end. We cannot do anything else."

Asked if fighting for two major honours made this the most exciting period of his career, Riera responded: "Yes, definitely. Playing to fight for titles is really nice, this is the pressure that we want because it's a beautiful pressure."

PHOTO SPECIAL: REDS PREPARE FOR CL

Pictures by David Rawcliffe of Propaganda 07 April 2009

Here are the best of our snaps from when Rafa Benitez put his team through their paces at Melwood this morning.

NEWS STORY CARRA: LEAGUE DOUBLE COULD GIVE US EDGE

Paul Hassall 07 April 2009

Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool's league double over Chelsea could give them a psychological edge ahead of yet another meeting in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

The Reds defender admits he was somewhat frustrated to be drawn against the Londoners for the fifth straight year but insists Rafael Benitez's men will go into the clash confident of progressing to the last four.

"We've got a great record against Chelsea this season and if we play the way we have done against them in the two league matches then we know we can go through," he told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"The fact we did the double against them might give us that extra confidence. I'm sure if they'd beaten us twice we'd have gone into it with a bit more trepidation, but the fact we won twice will give us a bit of a boost."

The 31-year-old concedes that he would liked to have gone head-to-head with Bayern Munich rather than face another meeting with the Blues.

He feels Europe should be about taking on sides from across the continent and is still hopeful both the German giants and Liverpool will progress so he can realise his dream of playing at the Allianz Arena.

"My initial reaction was that I didn't really want us to get another English team because Europe is about playing European teams," he said.

"The Chelsea lads probably felt the same. I suppose we are sick of the sight of each other really! But we both know what kind of games they will be and we all realise it will be tough.

"I was desperate for us to get Bayern Munich because I wanted to play in their new ground. I like to play in different stadiums across Europe, but if we beat Chelsea we could still draw them in the semi-final."

Last season Chelsea knocked Liverpool out of the competition in the semi-finals. Asked if revenge would act as any form of motivation Carragher said: "Not really. This is a new season and we are probably playing better than we did last year.

"It was unfortunate with John Arne Riise's own goal because if it hadn't gone in, I think we would probably have gone through. That's how close the games are."