Liverpool Vs. Barcelona Part 2
Tuesday, March 6th, 2007 by EoinOur esteemed editor and chief will no doubt tell me this should have gone with my previous post, but honestly Frank, this is an entirely different game. Well…it’s a second leg.
Liverpool host Barcelona in the Champion’s League 2nd leg of the last 16 tonight at 19:45 (GMT). The game is live on RTÉ2 and ITV1.
The first leg finished 2-1 to Liverpool, so Barcelona need to score at least two goals to go through. If the game finishes 1-0 to Barcelona then the away goal rule comes into effect. Liverpool scored two away goals so, even though the tie would be level at 2-2, Liverpool would go through, as they had scored more away goals. The same rule would see Barcelona go through if tonight’s match ended 3-2 in their favour.
To simplify things a little here’s what you need to know. Any victory for Liverpool tonight puts them into the draw for the Quarter-Finals. Any draw puts Liverpool into the draw. A 1-0 defeat puts Liverpool into the draw. If the game is 2-1 after 90 minutes then it goes to extra-time and penalties if necessary. There are no golden goals or anything it would be two halves of 15 minutes each. Any victory other than 1-0 for Barcelona tonight puts them into the Quarter-Finals.
It all seems very simple to me, but I wonder if that made it easier for anybody else?
So who will go through? Liverpool of course! Since Ajax in 1996, no side has overturned a home, first leg defeat in the Champion’s League. No side has ever retained the Champion’s League since it changed from the European Cup into it’s current format. Liverpool’s record at home in the Champion’s League this season is played 4, won 4, and they have only lost once in Anfield in their last 13 European fixtures. Barcelona have won only once away from home in the Champion’s League this season and have been knocked out of Europe by English opposition 5 times. So it’s a foregone conclusion right? Wrong!
Statistics don’t win you football matches and Barcelona are a damn good football team. On their last visit to Anfield, in the group stages of the 2001/2002 season, Barcelona won 3-1 - a score that would see them progress tonight. They are more than capable of scoring goals, but they are equally as capable of shooting themselves in the foot depending on which Barcelona turn up. If Liverpool score the first goal it is questionable that Barcelona have the character to come back into the game.
Barcelona are expected to go with a 3-4-3 formation tonight with Ronaldinho, Eto’o and Messi leading the attack. They have never lost, in any competition, when those three have started. They have no major injury concerns.
I expect Liverpool to go with a 5-3-1-1 formation after Rafa Benitez hinted at the inclusion of Crouch.
“Crouch is a big problem to Barcelona because normally they wouldn’t play against someone like him in Spain. The only player like that is Zigic, of Racing Santander.
“When we played against Real Betis, they couldn’t manage against Crouch because they aren’t used to it. And with the Spanish mentality about English football being all long balls and second balls, they are a little bit afraid to talk about Crouch.”
Reina was an injury concern after the Manchester United game, but he seems to have recovered. Liverpool are without Kewell and Garcia for tonights game and if Sissoko or Kuyt should get booked they will be suspended for the next match.
Finnan Carragher Hyypia Agger Riise
Gerrard Sissoko Alonso
Bellamy
Crouch
Dudek, Arbeloa, Aurelio, Kuyt, Pennant, Gonzalez and Fowler on the bench.
I expect Liverpool to go through and while I can see them beating Barcelona again I wouldn’t rule out a 1-0 defeat. One thing’s for sure though, with what’s at stake and the atmosphere that the Liverpool fans create on nights like this it’ll be essential viewing for all.
In the other games I expect Chelsea, Lyon and Valencia to join Liverpool in the Quarter-Final draw on Friday morning.
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