Liverpool face must-win clash

2007-11-05 15:11

London - Liverpool won the Champions League in 2005 and reached the final last season but now they are struggling to reach the second stage.

The Reds have only one point after three games, drawing with FC Porto and losing at home to Marseille and at Turkish side Besiktas.

With Marseille topping the group on seven points and Porto on five, Liverpool must win their return match against Besiktas at Anfield on Tuesday for a realistic chance to advance.

"Am I surprised that we are in this situation? No. In this competition if you make one mistake you can be in trouble and that has happened," Liverpool manager Benitez said. "Because of our past achievements, if we go out now people would say it is the end of something.

"But if we lose it is not the end of the world, and if we do the right things against Besiktas and win then we have the confidence to go forward and win again - we will have momentum."

Porto host Marseille in Group A's other game on Tuesday. If Porto win, Liverpool could face elimination even if they beat Besiktas and win their remaining two games.

Perfect records

"I am not going to drive myself crazy by thinking about the permutations - you can't do anything about the other teams until you play them," Benitez said. "But it is a time to believe."

Manchester United and Arsenal, who drew 2-2 in the Premier League on Saturday, are the only two teams with perfect records after three games.

Arsenal are at Slavia Prague and United host Dynamo Kiev and wins by both English teams on Wednesday would ensure a place in the next round.

The Gunners beat Slavia 7-0 in London on Oct 23 to equal the biggest margin of victory in the competition's history.

"Our major target is not to be complacent," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "We want to qualify as quickly as possible and can achieve that at Slavia Prague."

Sevilla are second in Group H with six points, followed by Slavia with three and Steaua Bucharest with none. Sevilla are at Steaua after beating Spanish league leader Real Madrid 2-0 on Saturday.

It's the first Champions League game for new Sevilla coach Manolo Jimenez, who took over when Juande Ramos went to English club Tottenham. Jimenez has guided Sevilla to two wins and a loss.

Manchester United won 4-2 at Kiev and the return leg at Old Trafford comes a day after manager Alex Ferguson marks 21 years in charge. When he took over in November 1986, striker Wayne Rooney was a year old and forward Nani and winger Anderson weren't even born.

AS Roma are at Sporting Lisbon in the other Group F match. Roma have six points, Sporting three and Dynamo Kiev zero.

Goal difference

Defending champion AC Milan are at Shakhtar Donetsk in Group D play on Tuesday, when Celtic host Benfica.

Milan lead Group D - ahead of Shakhtar on goal difference - but are down in ninth place in the Italian league, 11 points off leader Inter Milan, after a 0-0 draw with visiting Torino on Saturday.

"We are a team that is used to reacting in difficult times," Milan midfielder Cristian Brocchi said. "Every time we go on to the pitch angry, we've always done well."

Filippo Inzaghi's superior European goalscoring record - he is two shy of Gerd Muller's record of 60 goals in Uefa club competitions - could see him start ahead of Alberto Gilardino up front.

Goalkeeper Dida returns after a one-match ban and striker Ronaldo was named in the squad. He could make his first appearance since May after hurting his thigh.

Real Madrid will be without injured winger Arjen Robben and forward Gonzalo Higuain, with midfielder Wesley Sneijder doubtful when it plays at Olympiakos on Tuesday.

Defender Christoph Metzelder said the team would not be affected by the Sevilla loss, only its second in the league this season.

"Now we've got to keep working and concentrate on our next game with Olympiakos," Metzelder said. "We can't let this get us down because it was one of the many games we have to play this season."

Real Madrid lead Group C with seven points, followed by Olympiakos with four, Werder Bremen with three and Lazio with two. Lazio hosts Werder Bremen in the other game.

Also on Tuesday, it's: Valencia v Rosenborg and Schalke v Chelsea in Group B.

Also on Wednesday, it's: Lyon v Stuttgart and FC Barcelona v Rangers in Group E; and Inter Milan v CSKA Moscow and Fenerbahce v PSV Eindhoven in Group G.

- AP