Liverpool Midfielder Xabi Alonso Insists Chelsea Defeat Must Be Forgotten

Liverpool's deep-lying ball-pinging midfielder Xabi Alonso has issued a plea to his Anfield team-mates indicating that the painful 3-1 midweek defeat against Chelsea needs to be put to bed, buried, and forgotten, so that it does not jeopardise their Premier League title ambitions.

Liverpool host Sam Allardyce's Blackburn Rovers in an early kick-off tie on Saturday that will introduce the latest round of domestic action. The Reds have an opportunity to usurp Manchester United at the head of the table should they claim a positive result, therefore keeping the pressure on the current league leaders, who do not get their own game underway until the afternoon.

Alonso told the club's official website, "It's very important for us. I hope it won't be tough to forget about Chelsea because we are professionals and this is another competition. We still have a chance to fight for the Premier League.

"At home this season we have dropped too many points - this time it has to be different. We have to start very well and play very well to win the game. It's important to do our job and that is to win this game. Of course I will be happy if we are still top after United's game but we have to wait."

Regarding the manner in which the side snuck a 1-0 win against Fulham last weekend, Alonso continued, "We enjoyed ourselves after Yossi Benayoun scored because it was reassuring after the international break that we were still in the title race. Obviously I could see the fans were enjoying it too.

"Of course, there is no doubt United are still favourites. They have the advantage and we respect that but our job is to try to go for it and fight."

On the prospect of facing a hard-working Allardyce unit, Alonso concluded by saying, "They work very well as a team and they got a great result against Tottenham last weekend from a difficult position.

"They are also fighting relegation, which will make it even more difficult."

Fabio Aurelio: It's Not Over Yet

Fabio Aurelio today insisted no-one at Liverpool is yet ready to give up the ghost on this season’s Champions League dream despite last night’s first leg setback at the hands of Chelsea.

Guus Hiddink’s side ran up a 3-1 lead to take back to Stamford Bridge for next week’s second leg on a night to forget for the Anfield men as a brace of headers from Branislav Ivanovic and a Didier Drogba strike from close range cancelled out Fernando Torres’ opener.

Though willing to concede that Liverpool now have a mountain to climb if they are to make it through to the semi-finals at Chelsea expense, Aurelio vowed that everyone in a red shirt will fight until the end in a bid to keep their European hopes alive.

“We are really disappointed, particularly after the good start we made to the game,” said the Brazilian left back.

“We scored a good goal and we were controlling the game but after they drew level we started to lose control of the game.

“Dirk (Kuyt) had a good chance when he went one on one but unfortunately he was not able to score and I think if that had gone in it might have changed the game.

“But you have to give credit to Chelsea because they played really well, especially in the second half, and they were more effective.

“After going behind we probably became a little bit desperate to score a goal to give ourselves a better chance for the second leg and we started to give the ball away easily and this meant they could use counter attacks which is one of their strengths.

“We know that it will be really difficult for us now because as last night showed we are playing against a really good team but we will not give up.

“We will fight until the very end because this season as shown that there have been many occasions when we have had setbacks but we have managed to turn things around.

“This means that we have to fight until the very end.”

He added: “We know it will be difficult but we want it really badly and we will try everything.”

Liverpool Players Got John Terry booked, Seethes Frank Lampard

Frank Lampard claimed last night that Liverpool players helped to get John Terry the yellow card which rules him out of the second leg.

Chelsea's inspirational skipper had challenged home keeper Pepe Reina in what looked like a 50-50 ball.

And Lampard suggested that Liverpool's reaction was payback for the controversial yellow card which caused Xabi Alonso to miss the second leg of the 2005 semi-final.

He said: "It's unfortunate that when he got booked all the Liverpool players ran around to make sure he did.

"I remember them moaning about Alonso being booked a few years ago and it was the reverse on Wednesday.

"But hopefully we have enough cover. Ricardo Carvalho is nearly fit and if we can go through, John will have a clean slate going into the semifinals." Lampard admits the Blues are now setting their sights on treble glory.

The titanic Champions League victory at Anfield leaves Chelsea close to the semi-finals and another showdown with Barcelona. And Lampard is convinced the performance that stunned Merseyside can have a psychological effect on Chelsea's rivals.

Lampard said: "I don't know if Barcelona will be too worried about anyone, the way they're playing. But if we can carry on playing like that we will put fear into a lot of teams.

"Who knows what can happen in the league, FA Cup and the Champions League? Everything is still up for grabs.

"Even though we're still behind in the league, it's important we keep the standards we set at Liverpool.

"When we play to those standards, when we look at the strength we have throughout the pitch, we're as good as anybody.

"We've just got to play to that standard all the time. We have been doing that in recent weeks and at Liverpool we did everything right except maybe get an two extra goals."

Liverpool Skipper Steven Gerrard To Miss Champions League Game With New Injury

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard dealt Rafa Benitez another crushing blow last night.

Just 24 hours after being humiliated by Chelsea at Anfield, the England midfielder was almost certainly ruled out of the Reds' next three games.

Gerrard is set to miss tomorrow's home match against Blackburn and boss Benitez will leave him out of the Champions League return at Chelsea on Tuesday.

That rest could give him a 50-50 chance of being fit to face Arsenal at Anfield on April 21.

Benitez could decide to risk his captain against Blackburn this weekend, in a game Liverpool MUST win to keep their title dream alive.

But it would be a massive gamble that could aggravate the problem. It seems more likely the manager will rest Gerrard for the next two weeks, and attempt to get him fit to face Arsenal.

The Liverpool boss knows it is pointless risking his skipper in the Chelsea game, given his side face an almost hopeless task, needing to win by three goals to claw back the deficit.

Instead Gerrard looks likely to be left with a battle to be fit for the league game that will go a long way to deciding who will be champions this season.

Liverpool have a break after their European trip because of the FA Cup semifinals, before they entertain the Gunners.

If Liverpool win that they will feel they can still catch Manchester United, and they will be desperate to have their captain available.

Liverpool will get the results of the scan this morning to determine exactly how long Gerrard will be out, at a time when they need him most.

Benitez And Liverpool Will Pay The Price For Allowing Gerrard To Play Through The Pain

Steven Gerrard's groin problem has returned and it could derail Liverpool's season, but they seem to have only themselves to blame.

The club are saying it will only keep him out for a match or two but what is the betting the injury ends up lasting a lot longer than that?

Liverpool cannot afford for him to be out at all as they have little hope of glory without him and, as he has indicated he will play through the pain, are bound to throw him back into action soon.

But for how long will he have to put himself through it and why wasn't the injury cleared up when he had surgery last August?

Rafael Benitez's over reliance on Gerrard must be at least partly to blame and so too must the player's reluctance to rest.

The midfielder is similar to Chelsea's John Terry in that he far too often plays in pain regardless of the consequences.

But the attitude of Gerrard and approach of Benitez have come back to haunt them and they need to learn from this, the end to Liverpool's season, otherwise the pattern of pain for their captain and for the club in the Premier League will continue.

Match Report: Liverpool 1 - 3 Chelsea

Liverpool were hammered in their own back-yard in the Champions League tonight as Chelsea took a huge step on the road to a possible Rome final.

Chelsea produced a performance of great quality and strength to leave Liverpool's dreams in tatters after this quarter-final first leg.

Next Tuesday's second leg at Stamford Bridge may not be a mere formality just yet, but Liverpool will need an exceptional performance to stay in the competition.

It all started so well for Liverpool when Fernando Torres scored in the sixth minute. But Chelsea gradually took over, and two headed goals from Branislav Ivanovic - both poorly-defended set-pieces - and a close-range Didier Drogba strike stunned the Reds.

Steven Gerrard appeared to be struggling for full fitness - and with their captain's powers compromised, Liverpool saw a 14-month and 32-match unbeaten home record destroyed.

The side that has of late battered Real Madrid and Manchester United into submission was nowhere to be seen as Chelsea reigned supreme.

Liverpool had Albert Riera and Fabio Aurelio back after being rested on Saturday at Fulham, while Lucas was in for the suspended Javier Mascherano.

Chelsea had Drogba back up front, and Ivanovic continued as the injured Jose Bosingwa's replacement.

For the 23rd meeting between these bitter rivals in five years - nine in the Champions League - the atmosphere was electric, the noise deafening and the stakes so high.

Liverpool could not have got off to a better start.

Dirk Kuyt had already seen a shot deflected inches wide, before he produced a clever backheel on the edge of the box to set up Alvaro Arbeloa for a laid-back cross which was clinically driven past Petr Cech by Torres from 12 yards.

Yet that just served to galvanise Chelsea into sustained possession and pressure and a performance of growing assertiveness.

The alarm bells should have been ringing within two minutes of their goal for Liverpool when Salomon Kalou pounced on an Aurelio error to send Drogba clear - only for Jose Reina to make a fine, blocking save.

Michael Ballack and Michael Essien slowly but surely took over in midfield, and Liverpool were forced back. Florent Malouda flashed one effort wide of the far post, before Drogba blasted over from close range.

Liverpool were rattled, Torres isolated and Gerrard denied time and space.

Drogba, all menace and muscle, gave Martin Skrtel a hard time - while Kalou was equally dangerous on the right against Aurelio.

Torres curled one effort wide, and Arbeloa missed with a left-footer. But they were rare breaks from Liverpool, Chelsea already moving relentlessly towards an equaliser.

It came after 38 minutes when Malouda's right-wing corner was met with a firm header by Ivanovic, having evaded three defenders in the box as he darted and twisted into space to beat Reina from six yards.

Chelsea went for the throat straight after the break, and only Jamie Carragher's plunging clearance off the line from Drogba's angled effort stopped them going ahead after 51 minutes.

The game had taken a nasty turn by now.

Torres took a painful crack on the ankle from Alex seconds after firing over, and Essien looked to be caught by Skrtel's shoulder in one shuddering aerial collision - before John Terry clattered into Reina in mid air and was booked.

That yellow card will put Terry out of next week's second leg, but Chelsea annoyance was soon replaced by more elation.

A 62nd-minute corner from Frank Lampard was again met by Ivanovic, again unmarked, as he powered another header past Reina to put the Blues ahead.

It soon got even better for Chelsea, and horribly worse for Liverpool.

Five minutes after their second, Drogba arrived in the six-yard box to finish off a low cross from Malouda on the left.

Liverpool's fans fell silent, and the replacement of Riera with Yossi Benayoun before the re-start seemed of little consequence.

Liverpool sent on Ryan Babel for Lucas and Andrea Dossena for an out-of-touch Aurelio, who had just been booked. Drogba went off to a great ovation from the travelling support, allowing Nicolas Anelka into the fray.

The game, though, was already well won by the Blues and up for the Reds.

Guus Hiddink: Liverpool Can Still Surprise

Guus Hiddink has insisted Chelsea must not believe their place in the Champions League semi-final is already booked because of Liverpool's rich history of doing "impossible" things in the competition.

The Chelsea manager admitted the 3-1 win, which leaves Rafa Benitez's side needing a miracle at Stamford Bridge next week to progress, was "unexpected" but said he would urge his players not to take anything for granted, especially with captain John Terry suspended.

He said: "We cannot afford to take it lightly because Liverpool have proved that they can surprise. We will have to concentrate very much. You have to remember that it is only half-time in the tie. For tonight, though, we are very happy with the result. It was unexpected, but it was very well deserved.

"Normally teams would lean back on their defence when they equalise at Anfield, especially in the later stages of the Champions League, but we thought we could do more so we said we had to go for the second. If you feel you can hurt part of their team it would be stupid not to go for it.

"We looked at their zonal marking system and we have some tall, brave players and of course, we got some benefit." His counterpart, dejected but noble enough to greet Hiddink warmly when the two met in the Anfield corridor, admitted his team had made "mistakes" for the first two goals but remained adamant the tie is not over yet.

Benitez said: "Maybe I am disappointed [with the first two goals]. It is difficult to stop them in the air but we could have done better. We had three men around but [Branislav] Ivanovic was free, we made a mistake and paid for it.

"It will be very difficult now. We have to score three goals, but there are still 90 minutes to play. Now we have a very important game against Blackburn and after that we will start to look at this game and see what we can do."

Reds' Reina Refuses To Give Up Hope

Jose Reina has not given up on Liverpool's chances of reaching the Champions League semi-finals despite their 3-1 first-leg loss to Chelsea.

The Reds endured a heavy defeat at Anfield against their Premier League rivals in the first meeting of their last-eight tie on Wednesday night.

Having netted three away goals, Chelsea are now in a commanding position, but Liverpool goalkeeper Reina remains optimistic of a dramatic fightback at Stamford Bridge next week.

The Spaniard told Sky Sports: "The game is going to be much tougher now. We have to go to Stamford Bridge and beat them 3-1 or 3-0.

"But, as I said before, we are capable of winning at any stadium. We know we have to put ourselves back on track and try not to make the same mistakes."

Full-back Fabio Aurelio said: "We cannot let it [the loss] affect us. We have been playing really well and the team has been really confident.

"For sure, the result has been a disappointment. But we know that we still have a chance."

Midfielder Lucas Leiva added: "We know that it is going to be really difficult, but not impossible. We now have to think about the Premier League, and then the second leg."

Liverpool FC Boss Staying Positive Over Euro Mission

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez insists his side still have a chance of Champions League success despite last night’s defeat to Chelsea.

The Reds go to Stamford Bridge next week trailing 3-1 after a first leg disaster at Anfield.

Fernando Torres put the hosts ahead, but Branislav Ivanovic netted twice before Didier Drogba put the Londoners in the box seat.

But afterwards Benitez said: “Clearly it will be very difficult, but in football anything can happen. We have to play well and score three goals against a very good team.”

Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink said: “Liverpool have shown in the past they can do unthinkable things, and we have to avoid that.”

Liverpool FC Have It All To Do Against Chelsea

Rafael Benitez and Sir Alex Ferguson haven’t agreed on much this season. But if the Spaniard is to be believed, then neither would have been overly enamoured by what transpired at Anfield last night.

Liverpool’s late charge for the championship will now take on extra meaning after Benitez’s side slipped to the precipice of Champions League elimination.

Responding to Ferguson’s latest barbs, the Spaniard had declared before the game that the Manchester United manager would be supporting their bitter North West rivals as extra games could threaten their title momentum.

That’s unlikely to be a problem for Liverpool after next Tuesday’s second leg at Stamford Bridge following this demoralising loss.

It was their first defeat in 33 home games and only the second time they had lost a first leg in European competition when played at Anfield.

John Terry may be missing next week, but his absence through suspension is unlikely to make much difference.

After all, Liverpool now have to score three goals at Stamford Bridge to keep alive their European dream – something they haven’t managed for almost 20 years.

The 23rd meeting between the sides since Benitez assumed charge in June 2004, this was by far the most painful for Liverpool.

But as impressive as Chelsea played, Liverpool made it easy for the Londoners by falling massively short of the standards they have been setting in recent weeks.

The defence, so solid of late, was unsure throughout, the midfield badly missed the banned Javier Mascherano while going forward only Fernando Torres came close to his best.

It had all started so well when Torres netted with just six minutes gone. But in truth Liverpool were second best from that moment onwards.

No doubt the zonal marking will again be called into question after Branislav Ivanovic twice stealed in to head beyond Pepe Reina from corner kicks.

Didier Drogba could have had a hat-trick before eventually netting with still a quarter of the game to go. Indeed, Chelsea could easily have won by more as the home side realised the tie – let alone the game – was probably already up.

The portents had been mixed for Liverpool. Chelsea had not won in their last seven away games in Europe, while Benitez’s side were unbeaten in five at home to the Londoners.

However, Liverpool had won only four of 16 previous games against English opposition in Europe.

Since Guus Hiddink replaced the sacked Luiz Felipe Scolari shortly after Liverpool’s 2-0 defeat of Chelsea at Anfield in February, the Londoners have rediscovered their verve with the Dutch coach having lost just one of his 10 games in charge.

This was the fifth successive season the teams had been paired together in Europe, the previous eight matches yielding just 10 goals and often left the neutral cold.

But with Liverpool in freescoring form and Hiddink insisting his side would attack, both sides poured forward at every opportunity. It made for an absorbing encounter.

Mascherano’s one-match suspension gave a start to Lucas Leiva, while Albert Riera returned from his own European ban to augment an otherwise full-strength Liverpool line-up.

Lucas will probably be vilified by the faceless critics on internet messageboards, but it would be unfair to single out the Brazilian. Many of his more experienced colleagues were similarly under par.

How long ago the opening moments seem now. Liverpool exploded out of the blocks at home to Real Madrid and Aston Villa in recent weeks, so Chelsea knew what to expect from the first whistle at fizzling Anfield.

But Benitez’s side took only six minutes to forge ahead. After expertly controlling Alex’s airborne clearance, Dirk Kuyt produced an even better reverse pass to set Alvaro Arbeloa free down the right.

The Spaniard then picked out unmarked compatriot Torres for a clinical finish beyond Petr Cech.

Liverpool, though, were indebted to Reina barely 60 seconds later when Salomon Kalou caught Lucas in possession and sent Drogba clean through only for the Ivorian to shoot straight in the midriff of the well-positioned home goalkeeper.

Curiously, the visitors reacted better to the early goal, Florent Malouda firing across the face before Drogba missing a glorious chance when fed by Michael Ballack, smashing miles over from eight yards when a simple finish would have surely sufficed.

In between, there was an indication of how little time there was on the ball during a rip-roaring first half when Torres robbed a dawdling Frank Lampard but curled his effort narrowly over.

But Chelsea grabbed a deserved equaliser six minutes before the interval when Ivanovic timed his run to lose his markers and head home Malouda’s corner from the right.

Kuyt should have restored Liverpool’s advantage immediately when his low shot was blocked by Cech’s legs, but the away goal muted the atmosphere among previous vibrant home support.

Drogba missed another sitter seven minutes into the second half, although Carragher produced heroics to clear the Chelsea man’s effort off the line after Fabio Aurelio’s slack pass had caused problems in the Liverpool defence.

And the home side showed they had learned nothing from the first half when Ivanovic headed Chelsea in front of 62 minutes, again unmarked to meet Lampard’s delivery.

Five minutes later it was 3-1, Drogba finally getting his goal by turning in Malouda’s cross from the right.

“I think it’s only a coincidence, we will change this,” said Benitez when told the team drawn at home in the first leg of the three previous Champions League encounters against Chelsea had been eliminated.

Liverpool now have no other choice if they are to stay on the road to Rome.

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard To Undergo Scan On Groin

According to a report in the British tabloid The Daily Mail, Liverpool's Steven Gerrard may have aggravated an old groin injury during Wednesday evening's 3-1 Champions League quarter-final first leg defeat to Chelsea at Anfield.

Apparently, the Reds' captain is set to go to hospital at some point on Thursday to undergo a scan in order to find the true extent of the injury.

The England international midfielder is said to have left the field at the end of the game against Chelsea in some discomfort.

Gerrard underwent surgery to correct a groin injury in August 2008 and it is feared that he may have aggravated the problem.

If the worst is confirmed, Gerrard would be unavailable for Liverpool's Premier League title run-in, in addition to the Champions League quarter-final second leg at Stamford Bridge. Liverpool must score at least three goals in that tie if they are to progress to the semi-finals of the competition.

Chelsea Skipper John Terry Rues Champions League Booking

The Blues' star centre-half feels he has been hard done by after picking up a yellow card at Anfield that will cause him to miss the return leg at Stamford Bridge.

John Terry picked up a booking in Chelsea's Champions League clash with Liverpool and will be forced to watch the return leg from the sidelines.

The skipper has revealed that he is disappointed to have received the yellow card and feels that it should not have been issued, even stating that Liverpool 'keeper Pepe Reina did not think that is was necessary.

The exclusion of Terry from the second leg at Stamford Bridge is something that Blues manager Guus Hiddink could do without, but the decision made by Danish referee Claus Bo Larsen will stand, as he thought the challenge made by Terry on Reina was late and reckless.

Speaking after the match, the Blues captain rued the decision made by the ref, claiming that it was a harsh call.

"I felt as though I went for the ball, that's all I ever do as a player," Terry told Sky Sports.

"I've spoke to Reina again and he said it wasn't a yellow card. He already knew I was on a yellow card and he was honest with me.

"It reminds of when Xabi Alonso was booked in a similar situation with Eidur Gudjohnsen a couple of years ago. He was crying after that game.

"I'm obviously very disappointed."

Benitez Fans Flames In Fergie Row

Rafael Benitez insists he does not care if his war of words with Sir Alex Ferguson continues to grab the spotlight.

The Liverpool boss, on the eve of Wednesday night's Champions League quarter-final first leg with Chelsea at Anfield, refused to step back from the ongoing verbal confrontation between him and the Manchester United chief.

"If he (Ferguson) talks about Liverpool, then I will say what I feel," said Benitez. "He talks too much about other clubs."

Earlier Benitez had responded to claims from Ferguson that the team which lost out in the all-English Champions League tie between Liverpool and Chelsea would become the greatest threat to United's Barclays Premier League defence, because they would not have the European distraction.

"I think he is a little bit scared of us," said the Spaniard. "If we continue in the Champions League, he will think that we will lose something in the Premier League.

"He obviously feels that if we are not thinking about both trophies, then we will be able to concentrate harder on just one.

"So he will support us (against Chelsea) because he wants us to stay in this competition because he thinks we are the bigger threat and beating Chelsea will make it harder, he feels, for us in the league."

Wednesday night's tie has become something of a regular fixture in the Champions League in recent seasons, and the two sides have clashed 22 times in all competitions since Benitez arrived at Anfield.

"I am not tired of playing Chelsea," Benitez insisted. "It means we are doing well in this competition because we are both good sides.

"It is hard to find anything different to surprise them. The players know each other really well. I do not see a big difference between this game and the others.

"We seem to thrive on matches against the top sides. It is easier to motivate yourself when you are playing the best because you want to be successful.

"The team at home in the second leg has so far always won these meetings with Chelsea. But we can change that. We have won at Chelsea and Manchester United so we know we can win tough matches away.

"We have enough confidence to know that we can beat anyone. We are handling pressure better now because we have better players."

Benitez will have Steven Gerrard, Sami Hyypia and Yossi Benayoun in his squad after injuries, while Javier Mascherano is suspended.

Although this tie is nothing new for the majority of Liverpool's players, it is a new experience for Spanish winger Albert Riera.

He said: "When I arrived here this is what I wanted to experience, to be at a really big club. I wanted to fight for the title and in Europe and that is happening for me.

"We are fighting for two trophies. It is what every footballer wants and that is beautiful pressure."

Benitez To Hiddink - No Mind Games Ahead of Champions League Bout

It was somewhat inevitable that Liverpool and Chelsea were going to be pitted against one another in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

The Reds and the Blues face-off for the fifth consecutive season in Europe's premier club competition but, unlike the grapples Rafa Benitez shared with Blues bosses of the past, he expects no war of words with current Chelsea interim manager, Guus Hiddink.

"Some managers want to play too many mind games. With Hiddink, it will just be about football," he told the People newspaper.

The first-leg will be competed on Wednesday, when Liverpool have home advantage. The return date will be staged at Stamford Bridge six days later.

Benitez most famously shared a battle of the minds with the charismatic Jose Mourinho.

The former Chelsea icon was livid, and reportedly still is to this day, that his Blues were forced out of the tournament in 2005 due to a Luis Garcia phantom goal.

Liverpool Will Gain Champions League Revenge On Chelsea, Vows Pepe Reina

Pepe Reina believes that even football's "biggest pain in the ass" can't deny Liverpool Champions League glory this season.

The Anfield side face Chelsea tomorrow in the first leg of their quarter-final tie, with Didier Drogba standing once more in the way of a route to the final.

Last season the Blues striker was the difference between the two sides in the competition, in an epic semifinal showdown.

But even though Reina admires Drogba as his toughest opponent, he feels Liverpool will get their revenge after hitting top form at just the right time, and go on to lift the trophy.

The Liverpool keeper cheerfully admits to everyone who asks that the African forward is his most feared opponent, but he insisted: "It's going to be tough of course, they have so many good players including Drogba, who is one of my favourite players. But we feel we can win it. When people ask me about who was the most dangerous striker or who was a real pain in the ass, I always say Didier Drogba.

"In a way he's becoming stronger and stronger. He's been having some injury problems in the last months but now he's scoring goals, he's scored four or five in the last six games or something like that and we know it will be difficult to stop him.

"But really, we think we can do it. We know what Drogba did in the semi-final last time and they beat us, but we feel we can beat them at any time."

Liverpool have emerged as the form team in Europe at the perfect time, with everyone from Barcelona and Bayern Munich praying they can avoid them in the draw for the Champions League.

Even Chelsea skipper John Terry has admitted he fears facing Steven Gerrard at the moment, and Reina believes the confidence inspired by their current form can take the Merseyside club all the win to another stirring European triumph.

And he reckons the inspiration provided by their two star players Gerrard and Fernando Torres can take Liverpool all the way to Rome and their sixth European Cup.

"It will not be easy, when you play Chelsea they are always such a tough opponent, but the way we are playing we have probably the best momentum of the season, which is important," Reina explained.

"The small things as always will make the difference in this competition. But we are confident, we have form and we have some top-class players.

"Torres is sheer magic, he is one of the best, if not the best, strikers in the world and he's a key player, really important for us at the moment.

"Gerrard is the best midfielder in the world, there is no doubt about that.

This is probably the best season of his career.

"I feel proud and really lucky to play alongside him, and he gives us the inspiration to do anything." Tomorrow night, Liverpool will meet Chelsea in the Champions League for the ninth time, and many people believe familiarity is breeding contempt, not just for the players but for the fans too.

Reina though, views the tie differently. He sees these games as the pinnacle of the sport, and he wants Liverpool to enjoy the quarter-final for the great occasion he believes it to be.

"You can't be bored with these games - it is one of the biggest games you can play, and most of all we have to enjoy it as players," he said.

"Even though we have played each other many times and it will be extremely close and tight, it will be a fantastic atmosphere and a great occasion.

"But we feel we can win, and we think we have the important momentum in our season."

Liverpool Star Mascherano Knocks Back Chance To Join Up With Kaka At Real Madrid

Javier Mascherano has told Real Madrid he has no intention of leaving Liverpool for the Spanish giants.

The Argentina midfielder is reported to be in the sights of Florentino Perez, who hopes to return as president at the Bernabeu in the summer.

Former West Ham player Mascherano, 24, is seen as the perfect holding midfielder to build a solid foundation alongside Lassana Diarra as Madrid look to remodel the rest of their side around a raft of new attacking players.

Sportsmail understands the La Liga champions are growing increasingly confident they will be able to sign Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo for £75million in the summer, while reports in Spain suggest a deal is done with AC Milan for the £55m capture of Kaka.

It is unlikely the club would sign both and Chelsea and Manchester City would rival them for the signature of the 26-year-old Brazilian.

But Mascherano appears unmoved by the project and his mentor Kia Joorabchian says that the Argentina captain is going nowhere, according to Spanish newspaper Sport.

Madrid are also understood to have been knocked back with a quiet approach for Steven Gerrard, who signed a new deal with Liverpool last week.

But they are determined to strengthen the midfield and have Spain internationals Xabi Alonso, also from Liverpool, and Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas on a short list of targets.

Meanwhile, Perez is said to have gone cold on the idea of appointing Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti as the next boss at the Bernabeu, even if it would help to sign Kaka.

Former Spurs coach Juande Ramos is likely to be replaced in the summer, but Perez is said to prefer either Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini or Arsenal's Arsene Wenger.

Rafa Benitez Denies Liverpool Interest in Palermo Starlet Kjaer

Recent rumours have circulated that Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has expressed interest in Palermo youngster Simon Kjaer following news that Daniel Agger is unsettled due to a lack of first team action.

Coupled with the additional hearsay linking the Danish centre-back to teams such as Real Madrid and AC Milan, Agger has been reported as being reluctant to sign a new contract at Anfield because he is no longer guaranteed a spot in the Reds' first team.

With this in mind, the implications that Kjaer was on Benitez's radar had seemed perfectly viable, but the ex-Valencia boss had other things to say.

"I can only say that Simon Kjaer is not on our agenda at the moment," Benitez told Stadionews24.

"I can say that if Daniel Agger were to leave, we are not planning to bring him as a replacement."

At the other end of the spectrum, Kjaer's agent, Mikkel Bekk revealed that he has not received a single phone call from Juventus, despite the link being made between the club and player just last week.

"Juventus? I don't think so. I have read this news. I think that they are only rumours, I haven't received any calls from Juventus," said Bekk.

Juventus Join Hunt For Liverpool Defender Daniel Agger

According to reports in the Corriere dello Sport, Juventus directors have added Liverpool central defender Daniel Agger to their summer hit-list. The Old Lady will have to beat competition from Serie A rivals Milan, who have been frequently linked with a move for the 24-year-old in recent weeks.

Agger is under contract with the Reds until 2010, however, he has been on the fringes of Rafael Benitez’s side this term and there were rumours back in February that he had already undergone a medical with Milan.

However, Juve now seem to have entered the frame and have identified Agger as the ideal man to bolster their shaky rearguard for next season.

Should their bid to snatch the stopper from under Milan’s noses fail, the Bianconeri have already drawn up a short-list of alternatives that includes Borussia Dortmund’s Neven Subotic, Palermo’s rising star Simon Kjaer and Udinese man Cristian Zapata.

David Silva Not Eyeing Liverpool Move

Reported Liverpool target David Silva has vowed to remain at Valencia for ‘many years to come’.

The Spain international has been linked to a host of clubs since winning the European Championship with La Roja, with The Reds, as well as Juventus, believed to be massive admirers of his game.

But the flying winger is apparently determined to continue with Los Che and aid the Mestalla outfit in the Champions League race.

Valencia have been mired in financial trouble for some time, but the players have finally been paid after a long spell without receiving any salary.

“I am under contract with Valencia for many years to come,” Silva told As.

“What I desire is complete my contract with the club.

“I am delighted to be a Valencia player.”

Liverpool's Youth Players Show Promise For The Future

Liverpool have handed young striker Nathan Eccleston a new, two-year contract to stave off interest in one of Anfield's brightest prospects from a number of their Premier League rivals, with Blackburn and Everton thought to be among those tracking his progress.

The club's youth system has come under fire in recent weeks for not producing a single first-team player since Stephen Warnock, now at Blackburn, despite millions of pounds of investment.

Eccleston, an 18-year-old England youth international, though, is just one player whose promise suggests that might be about to change.

Krisztian Nemeth - Hungarian international striker likely to be the first of Rafa Benitez's imported youngsters to make the breakthrough at first-team level. Picked up from Liverpool's feeder club MTK, Nemeth is a ruthless finisher, although doubts remain over his lack of pace. A broken cheekbone on his debut put an end to a January loan spell at Blackpool, but that Benitez name checked him as a reason for selling Robbie Keane two weeks later suggests his future is bright.

Dani Pacheco - Rafa Benitez plucked the Spanish prodigy from Barcelona two years ago and Liverpool's staff retains high hopes they may have unearthed a gem. His displays for the first team in pre-season hinted at what was to come, full of clever touches and excellent control, and the 18-year-old is expected to be promoted from reserve level next season.

Adam Pepper - A 17-year-old attacking midfielder in just his first year at Liverpool's Academy, Pepper is already regarded as the brightest prospect on Merseyside since Wayne Rooney. After a string of excellent performances for the under-18s, Pepper gave a glimpse of his potential when he scored from the half-way line against Blackburn last month. Xabi Alonso would be proud.

Lauri Dalla Valle - Another beneficiary of Benitez's global scouting network, Dalla Valle is a Finnish youth international boasting a clinical ruthlessness in front of goal. Hughie McAuley, the under-18s manager, regards him as a "real asset" while his countryman Sami Hyypia regards him as "one of the names for the future."

Thomas Ince - Despite his father, former Liverpool captain Paul Ince, making his name as a snarling midfield enforcer, the younger Ince is a quick, exciting left winger who has made a big impression in his first year at the club's Academy. Only 17, his physical presence has improved and, along with Pepper, he is seen as the home grown youngster most likely to make it to the first team in the coming years.