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Chelsea hold the aces
29/04/2008 09:17 - (SA)
London - Chelsea hold the aces going into the second leg of their Champions League semi-final at home to Liverpool on Wednesday.
Liverpool may have the tradition and five European Cups to
their name but John Arne Riise's own goal deep into stoppage
time in the first leg at Anfield last Tuesday handed Chelsea a
priceless away goal and a 1-1 draw.
Chelsea start as favourites to reach the final for the first
time and as long as Avram Grant's men stop Liverpool from
finding the net they will face Manchester United or Barcelona in
the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on May 21.
Liverpool and Chelsea, meeting in their third Champions
League semi-final in four seasons, will be facing each other for
the 20th time in all competitions in that period.
The Anfield club won both previous semis in 2005 and 2007
but Chelsea will be in good spirits after their battling 2-1 win
over Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday kept
alive their hopes of a double.
Chelsea also have an excellent recent record over Liverpool,
who have not scored in eight visits to Stamford Bridge since
Rafa Benitez took charge at Anfield in 2004.
Death
The Londoners have turned Stamford Bridge into a fortress,
having not lost a domestic match since February 2004 and any
game since losing 2-1 to Barcelona in the first leg of the
Champions League first knockout round in February 2006.
Chelsea are also likely to have Frank Lampard back in the
squad after the England midfielder missed the United match
following the death of his mother two days previously.
Lampard resumed training on Sunday, according to media
reports, but even if he declares himself ready to return, Grant
might be tempted to retain the midfielders who performed so well
against United, led by two-goal German Michael Ballack.
Liverpool are a tougher proposition in Europe than in
domestic matches and Benitez will take a rested squad to London,
having made nine changes from the side that played Chelsea last
week for Saturday's 2-2 Premier League draw at Birmingham City.
Fernando Torres, who has scored 30 goals in 43 matches since
joining Liverpool at the start of the season, poses the biggest
danger while Steven Gerrard will look to add to the 21 he has
netted from midfield.
But as long as the hosts do not concede a goal Chelsea will
be bound for Moscow, a thought to delight their billionaire
Russian owner Roman Abramovich.
Probable teams:
Chelsea: 1-Petr Cech; 5-Michael Essien, 6-Ricardo Carvalho,
26-John Terry, 3-Ashley Cole; 4-Claude Makelele, 13-Michael
Ballack, 8-Frank Lampard; 10-Joe Cole, 11-Didier Drogba,
21-Salomon Kalou.
Liverpool: 25-Pepe Reina; 17-Alvaro Arbeloa, 23-Jamie
Carragher, 37-Martin Skrtel, 6-John Arne Riise; 18-Dirk Kuyt,
20-Javier Mascherano, 14-Xabi Alonso, 8-Steven Gerrard, 19-Ryan
Babel; 9-Fernando Torres.
Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy)
- Reuters
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