Liverpool will be bidding to reach the Champions League last eight for the fourth time in five years next week with Brazilian full-back Fabio Aurelio insisting that not even Real Madrid scare them.
Ahead of the last 16 first leg victory over Real in the Bernabeu, Dutchman Rafael van der Vaart claimed Liverpool “were a little bit scared” of their Spanish opponents.
That boast came back to haunt Real, with Yossi Benayoun heading a late winner to send Liverpool into Tuesday’s second leg at Anfield confident they can reach the last eight again.
And Aurelio, who faced Real several times in La Liga in his spell with Valencia, even had a swipe at Madrid’s under-achievement in recent seasons in the competition.
Aurelio said: “If you look at the last few Champions League campaigns, Liverpool have been in the last four consistently.
“And we have reached two finals in recent seasons. Where were Madrid?
“They are a great club with great history in Europe, but Liverpool are also famous in the competition.”
Aurelio was one of seven players in Liverpool’s starting line-up in the Bernabeu who have faced Real in La Liga.
And the confident performance, somewhat out of keeping with recent Premier League displays, produced a deserved first-leg win to stun the vast Spanish audience.
And Aurelio said: “We are not frightened of anyone. Certainly, from my point of view, I am used to playing against Real every season from my time in Spain, as are many of our players.
“But aside from that, we are Liverpool, and we do not have to be afraid of anyone.
“And the draw we achieved in Madrid certainly excited all of our players.”
But even though Liverpool have a precious away goal, they are fully aware that Real will be dangerous rivals on Tuesday and are more than capable of winning the tie.
Real defender Sergio Ramos underlines the confidence from his squad, who have extended their unbeaten run in La Liga to 10 matches, to bring themselves within four points of leaders Barcelona.
He said: “Just like Liverpool, we need to find an away goal. It is almost like a final, we are playing for qualification and we all know we have to put pressure on them to try to get a goal, although we will have to be wary because they have match-winners.”
One of those is Ramos’ international colleague Fernando Torres, who was injured in the first leg and is still fighting to overcome an ankle problem.
But boss Rafael Benitez says: “We hope he will make the second leg. We are pushing him and believe he will play. Otherwise he will be OK for the trip to Manchester United (in the Premier League) the following weekend.
“But certainly we are aware that he can have a big influence on the second leg and get us into the quarter-finals.”
Ramos, though, is looking forward to experiencing the Anfield atmosphere on a big European night.
He said: “I don’t know how it is for everyone else, but for me personally to play in a stadium like that is great. I feel it is something that motivates and can help as well.”
Those sentiments were echoed by left-back Gabriel Heinze, who has previous experience of Anfield after spending three seasons with Manchester United.
He said: “The atmosphere there is something beautiful, it is part of football. It will not affect us because we are used to playing in this type of atmosphere. We just have to get a good result.”
The game will be Liverpool’s 298th in European competition and their 167th in the European Cup. If they win they will reach their 13th European Cup quarter-final.
The omens are good for Liverpool. They have lost only one of seven two-legged ties on aggregate against Spanish opposition, although they also lost to Athletic Bilbao on the toss of a coin in 1968.
In 1998-99 they lost home and away to Celta Vigo who had current Real player Michel Salgado in their squad.
But Liverpool’s Spanish international winger Albert Riera believes the Anfield atmosphere will get to Real.
He said: “Real will be dangerous, but with the atmosphere here will be something they have never confronted before. We are confident we will be in the draw for the last eight.”
Ahead of the last 16 first leg victory over Real in the Bernabeu, Dutchman Rafael van der Vaart claimed Liverpool “were a little bit scared” of their Spanish opponents.
That boast came back to haunt Real, with Yossi Benayoun heading a late winner to send Liverpool into Tuesday’s second leg at Anfield confident they can reach the last eight again.
And Aurelio, who faced Real several times in La Liga in his spell with Valencia, even had a swipe at Madrid’s under-achievement in recent seasons in the competition.
Aurelio said: “If you look at the last few Champions League campaigns, Liverpool have been in the last four consistently.
“And we have reached two finals in recent seasons. Where were Madrid?
“They are a great club with great history in Europe, but Liverpool are also famous in the competition.”
Aurelio was one of seven players in Liverpool’s starting line-up in the Bernabeu who have faced Real in La Liga.
And the confident performance, somewhat out of keeping with recent Premier League displays, produced a deserved first-leg win to stun the vast Spanish audience.
And Aurelio said: “We are not frightened of anyone. Certainly, from my point of view, I am used to playing against Real every season from my time in Spain, as are many of our players.
“But aside from that, we are Liverpool, and we do not have to be afraid of anyone.
“And the draw we achieved in Madrid certainly excited all of our players.”
But even though Liverpool have a precious away goal, they are fully aware that Real will be dangerous rivals on Tuesday and are more than capable of winning the tie.
Real defender Sergio Ramos underlines the confidence from his squad, who have extended their unbeaten run in La Liga to 10 matches, to bring themselves within four points of leaders Barcelona.
He said: “Just like Liverpool, we need to find an away goal. It is almost like a final, we are playing for qualification and we all know we have to put pressure on them to try to get a goal, although we will have to be wary because they have match-winners.”
One of those is Ramos’ international colleague Fernando Torres, who was injured in the first leg and is still fighting to overcome an ankle problem.
But boss Rafael Benitez says: “We hope he will make the second leg. We are pushing him and believe he will play. Otherwise he will be OK for the trip to Manchester United (in the Premier League) the following weekend.
“But certainly we are aware that he can have a big influence on the second leg and get us into the quarter-finals.”
Ramos, though, is looking forward to experiencing the Anfield atmosphere on a big European night.
He said: “I don’t know how it is for everyone else, but for me personally to play in a stadium like that is great. I feel it is something that motivates and can help as well.”
Those sentiments were echoed by left-back Gabriel Heinze, who has previous experience of Anfield after spending three seasons with Manchester United.
He said: “The atmosphere there is something beautiful, it is part of football. It will not affect us because we are used to playing in this type of atmosphere. We just have to get a good result.”
The game will be Liverpool’s 298th in European competition and their 167th in the European Cup. If they win they will reach their 13th European Cup quarter-final.
The omens are good for Liverpool. They have lost only one of seven two-legged ties on aggregate against Spanish opposition, although they also lost to Athletic Bilbao on the toss of a coin in 1968.
In 1998-99 they lost home and away to Celta Vigo who had current Real player Michel Salgado in their squad.
But Liverpool’s Spanish international winger Albert Riera believes the Anfield atmosphere will get to Real.
He said: “Real will be dangerous, but with the atmosphere here will be something they have never confronted before. We are confident we will be in the draw for the last eight.”
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