It was Chelsea`s destiny to overcome Valencia and set up a chance to exact revenge on their conqueror's from two years ago, but Liverpool Football Club will not fear the Stamford Bridge outfit, and may even relish the opportunity.
As i sat and watched the Valencia-Chelsea game, i knew as soon as Chelsea scored the equalizer it was not a matter of `if´ Chelsea went on to win, it was just when and how they would overcome Valencia. When the draw for the Quarter-finals was made and Liverpool Fc and Chelsea Fc had been given a chance to reenact their semi-final from two years ago, nothing was going to get in the way, even Chelsea having to play many peoples favourites for the cup, Valencia.
Chelsea deserve credit for their fightback, after the game at Stamford bridge and that away goal it was going to be an uphill struggle travelling to Estadio Mestalla, and after going a goal down to former Liverpool player Morientes`s strike a lot of teams would have been dead and buried but Chelsea found the reserves to fight back and get that all important second away goal.
Liverpool's entry into the reenactment was simpler, they had to beat PSV, an inferior team depleted by injuries, it was all over after the first leg, Liverpool simply destroyed PSV in Eindhoven, and in the return leg simply went through the motions resting players, trying to not pick up injuries or cards, it was all a formality.
Both managers, Liverpool`s and Chelsea`s claim that the other team has the advantage, Jose Mourhinho claiming that Liverpool are only playing in one competition so that all their efforts will be concentrated on the Champions League, and meanwhile Rafa Benitez saying that with Chelsea`s outlay of money over the past few years on players for their squad they have the resources to play for a multitude of competitions at this late stage in the season. Both claims are valid, everyone that can read knows how much money Chelsea have spent over the last couple of years, and even if we sometimes think they have overpaid, they still have a huge squad of world class players, so the playing too many competitive games excuse does not wash. Liverpool fc will rest players but not many because the Anfield team still need results to guarantee a chance of champions league football next year, so both claims by the opposing managers really cancel each other out.
Chelsea i think have accumulated one advantage over their foes that has not been spoken about yet. When Liverpool won the Champions League two years ago they came through insurmountable odds, the game against Olympiacos is one obvious example where against the odds they needed goals but got them, that psychological win drummed into the players that its not over till its over and nothing is impossible, the same mentality they held onto against Chelsea and Ac Milan that year, and we all seen the results of that. And now Chelsea`s fightback against Valencia will have instilled that same confidence that led Liverpool to glory in Istanbul.
But one big black mark on Chelsea`s hope is the man that got them this far,Michael Essien missing for the first leg is a huge loss, he has been the driving force behind the team this year and will be really missed.
For all Chelsea´s millions they can still only put eleven men on the pitch at one time, and this is where the problem of Liverpool`s lack of funds is deleted by the intelligence of their manager.
Under Rafa Benitez Liverpool have built a squad of players, where maybe twelve or thirteen are truly top competitors, the rest being fill gap players or up and comings. The league table never lies, and it is true Man Utd and Chelsea have the best squads in The Premiership. Liverpool have not had the squad that is capable of sustaining a challenge for what is still the`Holy Grail´for all Liverpool fans, The Premiership.
But what Benitez has done is built a team that when he puts his best eleven on the pitch can compete with anyone in the world, perfect for cup competitions but with his, so far limited funds unable to compete in the weekly grind of the league.
Both teams are pretty equal, but Liverpool will overcome Chelsea because in Benitez they have the most tactically astute manager in football today, you only have to listen to the constant one way war of words from Mourhinho to know that the special one is worried about not being so special any more, Jose is worried because he knows that Rafa has out thought him in the past and this is now a much better Liverpool team then the one that left John Terry weeping on the Anfield turf the last time these two met at this stage and the Chelsea team of then was more superior..
And there is one more huge incentive for Liverpool to overcome the Chelsea challenge, a dream for all Liverpool fans, this is where Man Utd come into the story, nothing in this world would give Liverpool fans across the globe better pleasure than beating their oldest foes in the greatest club showcase of all.
.