Liverpool FC Forum

[Leonmc0708]

Liverpoolfc.tv is reporting a number of stories about the forthcoming European adventure, and Carra, Xabi and Didi are in posotively bullish mood on the subject:

Jamie Carragher

Jamie Carragher believes team work is the key to doing well in Europe and hopes that Liverpool can do well in the Champions League by getting off to a good start against Monaco. 
The Liverpool defender says he has a lot of respect for Monaco who were beaten finalists in last season's Champions League final.
 
Carragher said: "Monaco got to the final last year because they showed great spirit and team work. There are a lot of teams in Europe who've spent a lot of money, but teamwork is something you can't buy.
 
"I think it was great for the competition last year that Monaco and Porto got to the final because it it will have given all sides in Europe a lot of encouragement that by being well organised and determined you can go far.
 
"I'm sure there are a lot of teams in Europe better than us at the moment, but if we can play well as a team we can do well.
 
"I don't think any of us will be bold enough to go around saying we're going to win the competition.
 
"It's been two years since we were in it so the last thing we want to do is look too far ahead. But we'll give everything we can.
 
"If we can get through our group, anything can happen once you get to the knockout stages.
 
"We know we've got a lot of improving still to do so I'd expect other teams to be fancied ahead of us. But we're not bothered what the bookies think.
 
"It doesn't matter who the favourites are if you can get through the group stage."

Xabi Alonso

Spanish star Xabi Alonso has predicted Liverpool will emerge as a surprise package in this season's Champions League. 
The £10 million midfielder believes Rafael Benitez's knowledge of European football is sure to benefit the Reds as they embark on their new European adventure against Monaco at Anfield tonight.
 
Alonso, who will be hoping to return to the starting line-up after missing out against West Brom on Saturday, is confident the Reds will qualify from their group before re-establishing the club as a force in European football.
 
"I firmly believe Liverpool have the team, the tactics and the belief to do something very important in the Champions League," he said. "There is no reason why we can't be the surprise team in this year's competition.
 
"Monaco have sold many of the players who helped them reach last season's final, so maybe they won't be as strong this season. But we won't be relying on that because in football you can't trust things like that.
 
"Monaco are lucky to have a great coach in Didier Deschamps and I'm sure he will have his team well prepared for this match. He will make them dangerous opponents for sure.
 
"Rafa Benitez has proved in Spain he is one of the best coaches around and now he has a great chance to do something even more special by bringing trophies to Anfield, either English prizes or European ones.
 
"He did it with Valencia and I'm confident he'll do it with Liverpool as soon as he can. His tactics and beliefs are ideally suited to winning European games. You saw that last season when he won the UEFA Cup with Valencia.
 
"I am too young to remember Liverpool winning the European Cups in the seventies and eighties, but my father has told me all about their great European history. I am under no illusions that wearing this red shirt is something very special and I meant it when I said it was a dream come true to sign for Liverpool.
 
"I imagine it will be amazing to hear the Champions League anthem at Anfield before we play Monaco. For me, this is the most important competition. The team are feeling good ahead of this match and with the support of our fans I'm sure we'll beat Monaco.
 
"I don't think we have been given an easy group because all the teams are good, but we have a lot of belief that we will go through to the next stage."

Dietmar Hamman

Didi Hamann is hoping Liverpool can emulate their exciting Champions League run of three seasons ago and in the process help him exorcise the demons of a major low-point in his Anfield career. 
In April 2002 Liverpool went tantalisingly close to reaching the final of the continent's most prestigious cup competition.
 
With a 1-0 first leg advantage in the quarter-final against Bayer Leverkusen, a mouth-watering two-legged semi-final with Manchester United loomed and Liverpudlians were suddenly starting to dream of the seeing their club lift the glittering prize for a fifth time in its history at Hampden Park the following month.
 
A dramatic 90 minutes at the BayArena ultimately put paid to those aspirations and memories of that night remain painful for all concerned.
 
In the five years Hamann has been at Anfield there have been few lower points.
 
At half-time Liverpool led 2-1 on aggregate. With the added cushion of a vital away goal to fall back on and a proud unbeaten away record in Europe that stretched back 15 games the tie was seemingly all but over as a contest.
 
Or so we thought. On the hour mark Hamann was controversially substituted for Vladimir Smicer and what followed was every Reds fans' worst nightmare.
 
Within seven minutes of Hamann's exit the hosts raced into a 3-1 lead on the night and, despite Jari Litmanen's best efforts, the dream was over.
 
Many supporters still point to Hamann's substitution as a deciding factor in the Reds' eventual 4-2 defeat that night but, while the German midfielder admits to being disappointed at being taken off, he diplomatically side steps the question of whether or not it was the right decision, although it clearly still rankles.
 
As he prepares for Liverpool's return to the Champions League against Monaco tomorrow, he recalls: "Well it was the manager's decision and I spoke to him afterwards about it. I wasn't happy but that's a long time ago and we should leave it at that."
 
But had Liverpool disposed of Bayer, does Hamann believe they could have gone all the way in the competition that year?
 
"I thought we matched Bayer Leverkusen over the two games and we were a bit unlucky not to go through. At 1-1 in the second leg we hit the post and Michael Owen missed a great chance that would have put us 2-1 up. If we had gone 2-1 up I think we would have made the semi-final and then you never know," he admits.
 
"It was a big chance for us but unfortunately we missed it and maybe there's something around the corner for us this year hopefully."
 
Defeat to Leverkusen proved to be a defining moment in the managerial career of Houllier and one which, in retrospect, signalled the beginning of the end for the former boss.
 
Now the Reds are back in the Champions League under the guidance of new manager Rafael Benitez and Hamann is excited at the challenge that lies ahead.
 
"The Champions League is where you want to be and I am delighted we are back in it," he adds. "The money is there and the best teams and the best players are there. Unfortunately we haven't been there for a couple of years but it's good to be back.
 
"We have a tough group but there are no easy groups when you are with the best teams in Europe. We are hopeful we can reach the knockout stage. The sooner our new players settle into English football the better as we have made a lot of changes. But I'm very optimistic.
 
"There are so many teams that can win it. There's Real Madrid, AC Milan, Juventus and you can never write off Bayern Munich. There's about 12 teams that can win it and hopefully we will be one of them."

Refreshing to hear the lads talking up the European adventure, and it sounds like the lads think we might have a chance of progression.

[JBG]

Luis Garcia has also said that he thinks our club can go far this season.

[stmichael]

i think we can get through the group. anything after that is a bonus because i don't think we're defensively good enough to go far.

[Bruno Zidane!]

It is great to see so many positives comin out of anfield at the moment and for me its startin to rub off on the fans, Just look at the papers today and its full of are squad laughin and jokin, Rafas done a hell of a job already and it wont be long until thats comin off on the pitch (even had a glimpse of it against WBA). The players are happy, the managers happy and im happy....Long may it continue

[Ciggy]

It is great to see so many positives comin out of anfield at the moment and for me its startin to rub off on the fans, Just look at the papers today and its full of are squad laughin and jokin, Rafas done a hell of a job already and it wont be long until thats comin off on the pitch (even had a glimpse of it against WBA). The players are happy, the managers happy and im happy....Long may it continue

To true bruno Cant wait for the CL anthem getting blasted tonight hairs standing up on neck again we are in with a chance like everyone else and the CL means we are in euroups elite group long may it continue.

[laza]

Too true as Jamie said who would have picked Porto and Monaco at start of last season's CL to be contesting the final.
Cmon Pool

[redirish]

Well said burno and the rest of you cant wait as we are back with the best of europe. Lets hope that all goes to plan. Leaving work now on the way to the pub to get a good seat.
Come on the REDS
YNWA