Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is wary of the threat posed by Milan to their dreams of winning the UEFA Champions League later this month.The two European giants will lock horns in Athens on 23rd May in a repeat of their 2005 classic final.
Liverpool beat Milan on penalties in 2005 after they came from three goals down to send the game into a dreaded penalty shoot-out.
Benitez knows Milan will driven on by the opportunity of exacting revenge and he believes the Rossoneri are a better side from two years ago.
"It's clear we are going to play a team with players with a great attitude and quality," said Benitez.
"You could see by how hard they worked last night. They are desperate to win the Champions League and after what happened two years ago we must be very careful.
"They are a very dangerous opponent for us."
Benitez has called on his players to ignore all the hype over the final and concentrate on their preparations for the showpiece event.
"We must focus on the final," added Benitez. "The hard work for the players begins now. The final is not today, it is in a few weeks time and we must start our preparation from this moment.
"Some people think because we won two years ago and we also beat Chelsea we will do it again, but this is not the right message.
"You do not win a trophy for winning a semi-final. Playing well in the final is what's important now.
"They (Milan) are strong in every position. Defensively they are good, they have excellent strikers and in players like Gennaro Gattuso and Kaka they have two of the best players in the world.
"They are a team we will show a lot of respect to.
"I have said many times we are stronger now than we were two years ago but I also believe Milan are a better side than they were when we last played each other."
By:Peter ORourke
Date:3 May 2007
Credit:www.skysports.com
No comments:
Post a Comment