Liverpool FC Forum

[Kopboyau]

A draw is a good start for this season CL.

Can't afford a draw, we must win

[66-1120597113]

A draw would be a good result away to Betis,they are a quality side and should not be underestimated! If we draw away and beat them at home that would be fantastic for us!Obviously i would love to see us  win both but it wont be easy!We will have a tough campign in Europe this season as all teams will lift they're  game against us as we are defending champions!we played well against spurs yesterday but we will have to play a whole lot better to get anything in Spain this coming Tuesday!Make no mistake people,we are in a very tough group and no mtches will be easy!

[Pinguinobetico]

Betis is a good team, but chelsea is chelsea dont compare...
Yesterday we won vs osasuna. the same team of the king's cup final. But didnt play very well, but i think better than liverpool yesterday... i saw the match and liverpool had problems to attack... Its possible that joaquin cant play the match, but it's not sure.

[Pinguinobetico]

Good news for Liverpool Luiz Fernandez (not important) and Edu ( ) wont play against liverpool...

[The_Rock]

i guess...it is time to do this.

someone started this last season (prove to be quite lucky) ... so i am continuing it now for the champ league matches...


pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis, pls beat real betis......

[thegreedo]

Good shout Rock lad, doesn't hurt to keep these little traditions going!

[H_K_LFC]

am predicitn liverpool with djibril and crouch scorin

[stmichael]

9 points should be enough and 6 should be guaranteed from Anderlecht. If we get 4 from Betis the Chelsea game will be irrelevant.

Am I right in thinking that Joaquin is a doubt for tonight?

[JC_81]

Possibly tonight's game is the most crucial for us in the whole group.

It may not matter what happens in the chelski games if we get maximum points from anderlecht and at least 4 against betis.

A win tonight and I have to say you'd fancy us to get through the group, as further wins at home to betis and 2 against anderlecht and we'd be through.

However a defeat tonight complicates things, betis would have a lot more confidence coming to anfield and it may be harder to beat them there and we would also have to get something in one or both of the chelski games.

Our advantage lies in the fact that benitez and his staff will know the betis team better than the betis staff will know our team.  We have a good chance of getting 3 points on the board tonight which would be a great start.

[Paul C]

We need to stay well organised and hit them on the break with Cisse's pace, nick a 0-1 win and that would do for me

[The_Rock]

i don't think cisse will play. it will be a 4-5-1 (unless cisse play right wing).


http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=342444&cc=4716

Rafa urges Reds to concentrate on Spanish challenge

Rafael Benitez has urged his Liverpool side to forget about defending their Champions League title and concentrate on the task in hand against Spain's newest entrants to the competition.


The defending champions have been feted from the airport to their hotel and then to the Estadio Manuel Ruiz de Lopera for their training session ahead of today's clash against Real Betis.


Everyone wanted to shake the hands of the team who were adopted by the Spanish public as Benitez's squad - with many players arriving from La Liga - took the trophy so magnificently in Istanbul.


It would be easy to bask in that glory, and even easier to allow Betis - on their Champions League debut - to inflict a blow in the opening Group G match.


Benitez said: 'We must not think about `defending our trophy', we must only think about winning one game. The atmosphere in the stadium will be wonderful, but it will only be wonderful for Betis.


'Everybody in Seville has been very friendly, they always are, this is a lovely city. But I do not think the atmosphere will be friendly towards us when the match starts.'


Benitez is expected to bring back Xabi Alonso into the side after resting the midfielder to the bench at Tottenham on Saturday, and he is certain to start with rangy Peter Crouch up front.


Of the Betis defence, Benitez added: 'It does not have any central defenders over six foot, they will find it difficult against Crouch.'


The two English sides in this group can make a significant start to their campaign with wins in their opening matches against the two lower seeded teams.


If Chelsea beat Anderlecht and Liverpool beat Betis, the Premiership clubs will be on the way to claiming the two qualifying places from the group.


Benitez, whose clear vision for the future is underlined by the fact that he has only one picture in his Anfield office of that great night in Istanbul, said: 'My only aim is to win here and not to concede a goal. We have worked on handling their free kicks and I do not want any silly mistakes.


'As for the rest of the group, yes we can also beat Chelsea. We beat them last season and we showed then that we can beat anyone in the tournament. But apart from the group games I do not intend thinking of anything else.


'I do not think about winning the trophy again, I cannot think about another final if we do not start right by winning here.


'We started last season by winning our opening match in the competition against Monaco, and I want another win here. Since then we have improved the squad in many ways.


'Maybe we still have some of the same problems, but generally the squad has been improved and we have more depth.


'And as for playing in Spain, many of my players know the stadium and the atmosphere and know how to handle it.'


Benitez's words were echoed by Alonso, who said: 'We must be careful here, but we are also confident.


'Considering what happened to us last season in this competition, anything can happen. Of course we can go to the final again.


'But if we want to play in Paris next May then we must start by winning here in Seville. Of course there is a long way to go, but look what happened last season, anything is possible.


'But we know that other teams will be motivated because we are the European champions, and Betis are a very difficult side at home. They break quickly and have good wingers and a striker in Ricardo Oliveira who can score a lot of goals.


'But because we are champions we are confident of what we can do. It is great for myself and the rest of the Spanish lads in the Liverpool squad to come home to defend the trophy, but it will be greater still to go back to England with three points.'

[stmichael]

i don't think cisse will play. it will be a 4-5-1 (unless cisse play right wing).

agree. it'll be a 4-5-1. rafa has already basically said that crouch will start when he said "crouch will cause betis problems".

our defence has been our strong point this season and this should stand us in good stead. betis are very much a counter attacking team so if we go hell for leather they'll hurt us. we need to go there and try and contain them early doors. we'll make chances so we just need to be more clinical infront of goal.

[neil]

I'm getting excited now folks. A big fat 2-0 to us.oooooooooooooooo i could crush a grape!

[The_Rock]

yeah....i am more excited about the champions league than the premier league. Really hope we can win this...becos i don't have a good "feeling" about the match against the scums (but that is another story)....


                    Reina
    Josemi   Carra   Hyppia   Traore
                    Alonso   
      Finnan     Sissoko   Risse
                    Gerrard
                    Crouch

I wouldn't be suprised if rafa chooses this team.  The Key here is gerrard. If gerrard can get onto one of crouch's knock-downs....he will most likely score.


Cisse, Garcia and zenden to come on in the 2nd half to counter-attack betis and score more.

[anfieldadorer]

...............................

vs   

Head-to-Head
# Real Betis and Liverpool have never previously met in European competition.
# Real Betis have played against English opposition previously, losing 2-1 at home to Chelsea in the 1997/1998 Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final. They also lost the away leg, this time 3-1.
# Liverpool are better against Spanish teams in Spain than in England. They have won four of their 10 matches in Spain as compared to three at home.
# Their last visit to Spain resulted in a 1-0 win at Deportivo La Coruna in last season's Champions League.
# Other victories in Spain have been achieved at Real Sociedad (3-1) in October 1975, Barcelona (1-0) in March 1976 and Athletic Bilbao (1-0) in November 1983.

European history
# Real Betis' best European seasons were in 1977/1978 and 1997/1998 when they reached the quarter-finals of the Cup Winners' Cup. They were eliminated by Dinamo Moscow and Chelsea respectively.
# This season will be the first for Real Betis in the Champions League and their ninth in European competition.
# Their most recent European season was in 2002/2003 when Betis reached the Uefa Cup third round before being knocked out by Auxerre.
# Liverpool have won the Champions Cup/Champions League five times with the most recent coming in May when they won their first Champions League on penalties from AC Milan.
# Their previous successes came in 1977, 1978, 1981 and 1984.
# They have also won three Uefa Cups and three Super Cups.
# This season will be Liverpool's fourth in the Champions League and their 33rd in European competition.

Current European form
# Real Betis have not drawn a home match in Europe since 1978. They drew 0-0 at home to Dinamo Moscow in the 1977/1978 Cup Winners' Cup.
# That match was 15 European home matches ago and Betis have scored in all 15 since.
# Real Betis have won their last seven European home matches since losing at home to Chelsea seven years ago.
# Real Betis have also kept a clean sheet in their last three European home matches.
# Real Betis won 3-2 on aggregate against 2003/2004 finalists AS Monaco in the third qualification round.
# Liverpool have won their last three European away matches and are unbeaten in their last six European away matches.
# In the Champions League, Liverpool are now unbeaten in their last eight matches.
# Liverpool, along with Artmedia Bratislava, are the first team to negotiate all three rounds of qualification to reach the Champions League group phase.
# To reach this stage, Liverpool have knocked out Welsh club Total Network Solutions, FBK Kaunas from Lithuania and Bulgaria's CSKA Sofia.

Player and disciplinary info
# Only four of the players at Real Betis have previously played in the Champions League.
# They are midfielders Marcos Assuncao and Alberto Rivera and forwards Edu and Xisco.
# Edu is the only one of the quartet to have scored a Champions League goal.
# Fernando Morientes will probably make his Champions League debut for Liverpool and he is their most experienced player in the competition having played 70 matches.
# Morientes has also scored 26 Champions League goals, more than any other player in the Liverpool squad and good enough for eighth place in the all-time Champions League table.

Other miscellaneous facts
# Liverpool need to score three goals to record 450 in European competition.
# If Liverpool concede four goals, they will have let in 200 in European competition.
# Three goals conceded means that Liverpool will have shipped 100 goals in Champions Cup/Champions League.
# Liverpool have yet to concede a goal in this season's Premiership.
# Last weekend Liverpool recorded a goalless draw against Tottenham, and are currently tenth in the Premiership with five points from three matches.
# Real Betis recorded their first win of the season last weekend over Osasuna through a penalty goal by Ricardo Oliveira.
# Betis have gained three points from two matches in the Primera Division.