Fans will be ‘key player’ as Benitez focuses on Chelsea
Benitez rested seven of the players who started the 1-0 first leg defeat in the European semi-final at Stamford Bridge. The Reds made the trek to the south coast without the likes of Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Peter Crouch and Jose Reina.
And he saw a team of apparent misfits gunned down by two Pompey goals in the first 32 minutes from Benjani Mwaruwari and outstanding substitute Niko Kranjcar and still left Dutch striker Dirk Kuyt on the bench all afternoon.
But within seconds of the final whistle Benitez was fully focused — and may have been already — on the epic return encounter against Jose Mourinho’s Blues.
The Spaniard will call on all the passion of the Kop and the not inconsiderable noise from the other quarters of the famous Merseyside ground to shout Liverpool into their second Champions League final in three years.
Benitez said: “I don’t know how they (Chelsea) are thinking or if they are scared that they will be under pressure.
“But we will try to do the things we did before when we beat them 2-0 in January and that should certainly put them under pressure.
“I have talked before about our supporters, the atmosphere in the stadium and wanting to play with character how we did in the second half (against Portsmouth).
“We have to do the right things tactically, don’t make mistakes, and don’t give them chances. But it is really important to show character in these kind of games and with our supporters behind us I’m sure it will be really good.
“The positive thing for us is that when playing not too well at Stamford Bridge we still conceded just the one goal. So if we play at our true level we can beat them. The key against a very good team like Chelsea is showing everything together — ability, being well organised and showing character.
“I just feel our fans will be a key player for us. When you can hear them, they make the players run faster. I have confidence in this and the only thing is to control any anxiety and do the right things throughout the game.
“I don’t want to analyse what they (Chelsea) say or what they do. All I know is that this is a team that spends millions and needs to win trophies. And if now they cannot win the league they will certainly be under pressure against us.
“Winning the league could be difficult for them now — and maybe also the Champions League as well.
“But when you play against a team that, in the last five years, has spent more money on players than anybody in the world you cannot say for sure you can beat them.
“They are still the favourites. It is very clear. If you analyse the money that has been spent and the value of each player we are the underdogs.”
Benitez has not ruled out the possibility of making even more changes for the game and that could mean a place for veteran centre-back Sami Hyypia who scored at Portsmouth with a header from Robbie Fowler’s 58th-minute corner to give Liverpool at least some consolation on a bad day.
The Finn was also one of the few players in his side to emerge with credit in an old-style solid display at the back, contrasting with his long-term replacement Daniel Agger’s surprisingly shaky show at Chelsea.
The Liverpool manager, though, is hopeful right-back Steve Finnan could be fit enough to challenge for a place after missing the last four games.
Spanish referee Manuel Enrique Mejuto Gonzalez has been appointed to handle tomorrow night’s Champions League semi-final second-leg at Anfield.
Opta Fact: Liverpool conceded more goals in the first half against Pompey than they had in before the break in the last 23 matches put together.
Opta Fact: Portsmouth have only won five league games since St Stephen’s Day — all by a 2-1 scoreline.
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