JOSE MOURINHO last night taunted Liverpool: You are living in the past.The Chelsea boss stoked up the rivalry with Rafa Benitez before tonight’s Champions League semi-final showdown by reminding Liverpool of their title drought.
The Reds last won the title in 1989 and Mourinho claimed they are living on their glorious history.
He also claimed that from the four teams in the semi-finals only Chelsea and Manchester United can be considered “big” clubs as they are fighting to win three big competitions.
When asked where that left Liverpool, the Blues boss was forthright in putting the Anfield club in their place.
He said: “Liverpool are a big club, their history speaks for itself. A club is not a moment, a club is about history. Historically they are not a big club, they are a monster.
“But in the last few years they only play in one competition and only succeed in knockout competitions.
“But they won the Champions League five times and we have never won it.
“If any team could be in our position, or Manchester United’s position, they would be.
"If you are a small club you only fight for one competition and forget the others.
“The big clubs try the maximum they can. The risk is to win everything or win nothing. The Carling Cup is not enough, we want more.”
Chelsea lost to the Reds in the Champions League semi-final defeat two years ago with a disputed goal by Luis Garcia at Anfield. Mourinho claims tiredness among his players is the biggest threat to their hopes of making the final.
He also pointed to the massive difference in points total gained in the league between Chelsea and Liverpool in the three years since he took charge.
He said: “I am not a statistic man but if I tell you in the last three seasons including this one, in the Premiership, Chelsea can have 60 (it’s actually 58) points more than Liverpool. That is a lot.
“So they are a great team in knockout competitions — they won the Champions League two years ago, they won the FA Cup last season and are in the Champions League semi-final now — so we praise them.
“But if you play only one competition for half the season, you have great conditions.
The Reds last won the title in 1989 and Mourinho claimed they are living on their glorious history.
He also claimed that from the four teams in the semi-finals only Chelsea and Manchester United can be considered “big” clubs as they are fighting to win three big competitions.
When asked where that left Liverpool, the Blues boss was forthright in putting the Anfield club in their place.
He said: “Liverpool are a big club, their history speaks for itself. A club is not a moment, a club is about history. Historically they are not a big club, they are a monster.
“But in the last few years they only play in one competition and only succeed in knockout competitions.
“But they won the Champions League five times and we have never won it.
“If any team could be in our position, or Manchester United’s position, they would be.
"If you are a small club you only fight for one competition and forget the others.
“The big clubs try the maximum they can. The risk is to win everything or win nothing. The Carling Cup is not enough, we want more.”
Chelsea lost to the Reds in the Champions League semi-final defeat two years ago with a disputed goal by Luis Garcia at Anfield. Mourinho claims tiredness among his players is the biggest threat to their hopes of making the final.
He also pointed to the massive difference in points total gained in the league between Chelsea and Liverpool in the three years since he took charge.
He said: “I am not a statistic man but if I tell you in the last three seasons including this one, in the Premiership, Chelsea can have 60 (it’s actually 58) points more than Liverpool. That is a lot.
“So they are a great team in knockout competitions — they won the Champions League two years ago, they won the FA Cup last season and are in the Champions League semi-final now — so we praise them.
“But if you play only one competition for half the season, you have great conditions.
“Since January they have only played in the Champions League.
“This calendar year we played 27 competitive matches and Liverpool played three or four.
“Tiredness is telling. There are no miracles. We have to concentrate on every game, not just legs, but our mentality as well.
“Steven Gerrard did not play the last game. Do you think Frank Lampard and Steven are in the same condition? The game before Barcelona, Liverpool prepared for a week. In that time we played three matches.
“Can we win? Yes. But they are in better condition to win.”
“This calendar year we played 27 competitive matches and Liverpool played three or four.
“Tiredness is telling. There are no miracles. We have to concentrate on every game, not just legs, but our mentality as well.
“Steven Gerrard did not play the last game. Do you think Frank Lampard and Steven are in the same condition? The game before Barcelona, Liverpool prepared for a week. In that time we played three matches.
“Can we win? Yes. But they are in better condition to win.”
Mourinho also claimed Chelsea are not better off now than when they lost to Liverpool two years ago despite the arrival of new players like Andriy Shevchenko, Michael Essien and Michael Ballack.
He said: “I don’t think we are better equipped now.
"We are in a very similar situation as two years ago when Liverpool were just playing for the Champions League. This season we are fighting to be champions again.”
He said: “I don’t think we are better equipped now.
"We are in a very similar situation as two years ago when Liverpool were just playing for the Champions League. This season we are fighting to be champions again.”
Date:25 April 2007
Credit:www.thesun.co.uk
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