UEFA Champions League Semi Final (1) - Chelski v Liverpool

I don't care how much money they've got!
I dont care how much talent they've got!
I don't care how good their manager thinks he is!

All I know matey, is that we're going through!

The game kicks off around 11 local time in Dubai and will finish around 1am . Depending on the result, I might be up a bit longer than that despite having an early meeting tomorrow morning in Abu Dhabi (2 hour drive).



Manager's corner:

View of Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson

Tactical Masters fight for Euro Glory (Indepth review of Rafa Benitez and Mourinho's managing style, their first season incharge with their respective clubs, and how they work)

Previous Meetings
CC: Liverpool 2-3 Chelsea (aet)
PL: Liverpool 0-1 Chelsea
PL: Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool


By Alan Hansen BBC Sport Football Expert

Chelsea will be favourites to win the all-Premiership Champions League semi-final against Liverpool.

But Liverpool have shown that, on a given day, they can beat anyone - and that's why I am increasingly coming to the conclusion that they could beat Chelsea and go on to win the whole thing.

No-one, myself including, would have given Liverpool a prayer of doing that, not least when they turned in abject displays against the likes of Birmingham and Southampton earlier this season.

But in Europe they are a team transformed and have shown that they can threaten anyone.

Chelsea may be 30 points ahead of Liverpool in the Premiership and have three wins under their belt against them this season but, in a strange way, Benitez can take heart from those games.

I recall when I played for a dominant Liverpool, Chelsea had an Indian sign over us in the cup competitions and I remember coming a cropper on a couple of occasions.

And over two legs of a European semi-final there can be many twists and turns. Liverpool will be underdogs but they will have faith in themselves after the way they dispatched Bayer Leverkusen and Juventus.

Liverpool played badly at Stamford Bridge and lost but in the narrow 1-0 defeat at Anfield and in the loss in the Carling Cup final, they more than matched Chelsea for long periods.

And this will not be like some cagey European affair.

The semi-final will be a typical Premiership collision, with tackles flying in and no room for the faint-hearted.

Chelsea's confidence will be high and they have some real thoroughbreds in their team, but Liverpool will know they are three games away from the big prize.

Liverpool's fans have had some terrible lows in recent times and just to reach the Champions League semi-final will give them a massive high.

But there may just be a growing feeling inside Anfield, both from players and supporters, that this unlikely adventure could go all the way to the final destination in Istanbul on 25 May.

Why Nuetrals will be supporting Liverpool - The Guardian

The Buildup
Full Team news and stats
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Ranieri backs Chelsea for glory
Mourinho urges Chelsea to relax
Benitez ready to end Chelsea jinx
Chelsea v Liverpool
Kewell back to bolster Reds Euro squad
Carra: Threat of suspension won’t affect me
Bookies set for 10 million pound CL gamble
Songs to learn and sing: London Bridge
Garcia: Bring on Chelsea
Mourinho: I have great respect for Liverpool
Lopez: Benitez is a special manager
Rafa: Stevie wants to win so much
Xabi: Time for the real Liverpool to shine