Reds fans attacked in TurinReds fans attacked in Turin Champions League, Wednesday April 13 2005 Police have detained eight Juventus supporters following an attack on a...
Rafa wants 'big solutions'
Teamtalk.com
Rafael Benitez will turn to "big names to solve big problems" when he sends out a patched-up Liverpool at the Stadio Delle Alpi on Wednesday in a bid to reach the last four of the Champions League.
Robbed of his influential skipper Steven Gerrard with a groin injury, Benitez has turned to Xabi Alonso and Djibril Cisse as the Reds look to defend their 2-1 lead from the first leg.
Alonso has played only 45 minutes of a reserve game since New Years' Day when he broke his ankle and striker Cisse has not even managed that, having badly broken his leg at Blackburn in October.
But as Benitez surveys an injury-ravaged squad without Dietmar Hamann, Harry Kewell, Josemi, Florent Sinama-Pongolle and Neil Mellor, as well as Gerrard, he has little alternative to turn to players who will without doubt be playing from memory.
Benitez says: "The bad news is that Gerrard is not fit but the good news is that Alonso and Cisse are in the squad and we have big players back for a big occasion.
"Cisse will not start, but he is training with the team now and if we need something different and have big problems then he will come on.
"In Spain we say 'big problems with big solutions' and I am confident he will be able to have an impact.
"It is not a risk taking Alonso, but he lacks the intensity needed for these games but he is a clever player and maybe we could use Xabi in the second half.
"Losing Steven is a mbuttive blow, but we decided to make an immediate decision rather than to take him to Turin and then have to waste that time without him being able to have proper treatment.
"He was a doubt, maybe he could have travelled, but it was a risk and we do not want to lose the player for the rest of the season."
JUVE STARS ON WHY THEY FEAR THE REDS
OS, Paul Rogers 12 April 2005
Juventus might have grabbed an away goal at Anfield last week but the defeat to Liverpool hurt more than many of us expected. Today, Fabio Capello and his players have been speaking about why the Reds will be dangerous in Turin.
Mauro Camoranesi on losing his head
"At Anfield I shouted at the rest of the lads. It was the first time I've completely lost my head in a game. I lost my head and we lost the game. I think the winner of this tie will win the Champions League."
Emerson on how much Anfield defeat hurt
"That defeat damaged our pride very deeply. Liverpool caused us a crisis. I couldn't sleep that night because in the bus back from the stadium there was tension in the air and all the boys were pointing the finger of blame at each other."
Fabio Capello on tactics
"Obviously we need a goal but we haven't to be in a panic to get it. Our defence is quick enough but we need to watch out for their counter-attacks. The important thing will be to get a grip of the game in midfield."
Alessandro Del Piero on Liverpool's 'weak' points
"One of their weak points could be our quick pbutting on the ground, given that they are very good in the air but we have to watch out for the breaks because they can come at you very quickly. In the last round we needed to score twice against Real Madrid to go through and we did it. This time one could be enough. They have a good scoring record away from home though."
Fabio Capello on Liverpool's defence
"Liverpool are an excellent squad that defends with a great deal of attention. They are a really good and strong team. Unfortunately, we are a bit short on height at the moment and they are really dangerous on free kicks."
Pavel Nedved on why Juve won't underestimate the Reds
"The first leg match helped us learn an important thing, we have not to sleep in the first part of the match. We must try to score and at the same time be attentive on defence. I've seem them against Manchester City, they lost, it's true, but they suffered the score only at the end of match."
Injured Gerrard backs team-mates
QUARTER-FINAL SECOND LEG Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard Wednesday 13 April, 1945 BST Stadio Delle Alpi, Turin Live on BBC Radio Five Live, BBC Radio Merseyside & updates on this website
Steven Gerrard believes Liverpool will overcome his absence and beat Juventus in the Champions League quarter-final.
The Reds captain has been ruled out of Tuesday's second leg in Turin with a groin injury.
"I am down about the injury but I am very confident we can get the result we need to go through to the semi-finals," said the 24-year-old.
"The lads have already shown this season they don't miss me and I am confident they can do it again."
from a Juve fan site longthere is a summer in the end... Heysel tragedy 39 people were end in the wild riots that broke out before the Champions Cup...
The influential midfielder was suspended for the first leg against Bayer Leverkusen in the previous round but Liverpool made light of his absence, winning 3-1.
However, Gerrard has warned that his team-mates face a much tougher task against Juve.
I think we can score a goal in Juventus - Milan Baros
RS Fanscase ya missed it in our ng my hopes are Suitable solution for me is they win, get a few injuries, f*** the next league games up until the next bout with chelski, who stuff...
"It will take the best performance that a Liverpool team has produced since I have been at the club if we are to reach the semi-final," he added.
"The circumstances mean we will be the underdogs again but I think we are our best when we have something to prove.
"No-one outside the club expected to us get even this far so we are playing under very little pressure.
"The manager said before the first game we had nothing to lose and we are well capable of upsetting the odds again."
Striker Milan Baros is also feeling confident after the Reds' impressive 2-1 first-leg win.
Tonight's gameHi lads, first of all I want to say that I am strongly against any form of violence with no exception. Sport should be about healthy...
"When you beat a side like Juventus your confidence grows," he told the club's website.
"It was great to win that game. We had nothing to lose at Anfield.
"Everyone spoke about Juventus and how they would go through easily but we just got on with what we had to do and played our football.
"We are in the last eight now and we have the second leg on Wednesday. We want to reach the semi-finals but there is a long way to go.
"I think we can score a goal in Juventus. We thought 2-0 was a good result but they scored a goal and now we have to go to Turin and try to score a goal.
"Of course it is going to be difficult but while 2-1 is not the best it is also not the worst result."
