Dokko Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 Rafa Benitez believes club owner Roman Abramovich is more important to Chelsea than either manager Avram Grant or former boss Jose Mourinho. Liverpool chief Benitez is preparing his side for Tuesday's UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg at Anfield as the Reds take on Chelsea in the final four in Europe for the third time in four seasons. The Reds enjoy the edge over Chelsea having twice knocked their West London opponents, who were then under the leadership of Mourinho, out at the semi-final stage. Benitez and Mourinho - who made a shock departure from Stamford Bridge in September last year - experienced a fiery relationship, but the former appears keen to retain the tense rivalry with Chelsea after claiming that Abramovich is more important to the Blues than current boss Grant. Key "The key to them is Abramovich," said Benitez. "The only difference I see between Mourinho and Grant is in their press conferences! "I watched the game at Everton and they were playing the same as they always did. "They have been in the final of the Carling Cup, they face us in the semi-finals of the Champions League and they are still in the race for the title. "They have enough good players to win. So we must be really careful and have a lot of respect for them." Under pressure Benitez, though, does not want to criticise Grant - who has come under pressure following a difficult first season in charge of Chelsea - but the Spaniard admits that he is glad to see the back of Mourinho. "I don't like to talk about Grant," added Benitez. "As a manager, I have a lot of respect for him because he's being correct. I have nothing bad to say. "The media might miss Mourinho, but not me. I have enough things to do in Liverpool now. At the end of the day, the players are the key more than the managers. "Managers can talk before the game but, during the game, the players make the difference. "The best thing for a manager to do is not create any mess so the players can just play." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dokko Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 Kind of talk i like to hear on the eve of such a game. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Liam Liam O Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 Quite ironic for a manager of a club who were actively canvassing successors for him to come out with stuff like that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parky Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 mackems.gif Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElDiablo Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 mackems.gif Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 mackems.gif Shall we bump that Arsenal thread again? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Liam Liam O Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 mackems.gif Shall we bump that Arsenal thread again? mackems.gif Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parky Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Sooner or later in a big game in Europe Benny will have to pay the price for his safety first policy. Last night was maybe a reminder that not letting the full back cross the half way line is maybe not all that it's cracked up to be. This is the mark of the man... Every decision went against us, moans baffled Benítez The Guardian, Wednesday April 23 2008 Article history Rafael Benítez accused the referee Konrad Plautz of bias and poor timekeeping last night after John Arne Riise's stoppage-time own-goal cost Liverpool a precious lead in their Champions League semi-final first leg with Chelsea. The Liverpool manager criticised the award of four minutes' injury-time and a display from Plautz that, he claimed, had favoured Chelsea throughout. he disgruntled Spaniard said: "It's difficult to understand. There were 94 or 95 minutes and every decision went against us. All the corners, free-kicks and fouls. But, in the end, it was an own-goal. It's not the first time. We knew before the game it was going to be difficult [with this referee]. Against Marseille it was more or less the same. You can't blame the referee for the own-goal at the end but the time? One minute in the first half, four in the second. It's difficult to explain." Benítez also had cause to bemoan the referee for a push by Ashley Cole on the goalscorer Dirk Kuyt inside the Chelsea penalty area, an offence that went unpunished by Plautz. "The first four fouls against us were for pushing," he added. "I saw one of their players pushing with two hands in the penalty area and nothing given. I've seen too many things tonight but I don't want to say too much." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geordie Boot Boy Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Liverpool complaining about the referee? That is priceless. It really is. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parky Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Liverpool complaining about the referee? That is priceless. It really is. When they have a bad game it's never their fault you should know that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG32 Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 I was laughing my nuts off when Riise nutted the ball in his own net. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Liverpool complaining about the referee? That is priceless. It really is. When they have a bad game it's never their fault you should know that. Same as Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea then. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 This a long fucking warm-up, like! Must be one fat lazy bitch. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Get a room you two! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Get a room you two! One post to each other and someone is coming out with that! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parky Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 This a long fucking warm-up, like! Must be one fat lazy bitch. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Knightrider Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 http://kop-tv.com/go/vandalism-at-melwood-%e2%80%9crip-riise-the-cck-stash%e2%80%a6%e2%80%9d/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Decky Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Liverpool fans are pathetic, a total fucking laughing stock, i mean can you imagine if our fans did something like that? The media would be all over it ffs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Liverpool fans are pathetic, a total f****** laughing stock, i mean can you imagine if our fans did something like that? The media would be all over it ffs. My thoughts exactly. We'd have been ripped apart had we done anything like that. We did however, boo Fat Sam, and that is far worse in their eyes... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Knightrider Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Happened to Houllier too and didn't they burn Gerrard shirts outside of Anfield? And how many players' kens have been skelped now? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dokko Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 http://kop-tv.com/go/vandalism-at-melwood-%e2%80%9crip-riise-the-cck-stash%e2%80%a6%e2%80%9d/ Minutes silence for the brickwork. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parky Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 http://kop-tv.com/go/vandalism-at-melwood-%e2%80%9crip-riise-the-cck-stash%e2%80%a6%e2%80%9d/ Minutes silence for the brickwork. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 Eee them scousers, what lovable rogues they all are Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colos Short and Curlies Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 I fear for a Man U Liverpool Champs League final! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baggio Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 I read on Sky Sports website the other day that DIC are looking to buy Roma instead. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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