Results tagged “Real Madrid” from Liverpool FC News, Discussion & Debate | Liverpool Banter

PEPE REINA reckons he can break his Bernabeu duck as Liverpool aim to take a huge step towards reaching the Champions League quarter-finals next week.

Rafael Benitez's side travel to Real Madrid for the first leg of their first knockout stage on Wednesday, a venue where Reina has yet to win in five previous visits as a player with either Barcelona or Villarreal.

With his father having played for both of Real's bitter rivals, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, Reina concedes there is extra incentive to ensure progress.

LIVERPOOL renew their challenge on two fronts over the next week - and both games are winnable.

The visit of Manchester City on Sunday should give Rafa Benitez's men the chance to add three more points to keep tabs on Manchester United at the top.

Then the Reds travel to Spain for the Champions League clash at the Bernabeu against Real Madrid, who are no longer the world beaters of old.

RAFAEL BENITEZ has dismissed Real Madrid's attempts to crank up the pressure ahead of next week's showdown tie by calling on his players to concentrate solely on domestic matters.

Liverpool take on the Spanish giants at the Bernabeu next Wednesday in the first leg of their titanic Champions League first knockout round clash.

Real winger Rafael van der Vaart has suggested the Anfield outfit will be "frightened" by the prospect of facing the nine-time European Cup winners.

RAFA Benitez has told his players to forget all about Real Madrid for the time being - and focus only on Manchester City.

Liverpool take on the Spanish giants next week in the most attractive tie of the last 16 of the Champions League and Real star Rafael van der Vaart has tried to crank up the pressure by suggesting the Reds will "frightened" of his own team.

No-one at Anfield is in any mood to become embroiled in a war of words with anyone at the Bernabeu though, particularly with a must-win Premier League game against City looming large.

REAL MADRID midfielder Rafael van der Vaart reckons Liverpool will be "frightened" by their forthcoming visit to the Bernabeu.

Rafael Benitez's side travel to the Spanish capital for the first leg of their Champions League first knockout round tie a week tomorrow.

Between them, the clubs have won the competition 14 times with Real lifting the trophy nine times and Liverpool five.

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SAMI HYYPIA has revealed his delight at being restored to Liverpool's Champions League squad, but admitted he might have considered quitting the club during the January transfer window.

The former captain, who helped the Reds lift the European Cup in 2005, was devastated to be left out of Liverpool's 25-man European squad in August.

UEFA rules limit the number of foreign players who can be named this season, and Hyypia was the man to suffer during the group stages.

STEVEN GERRARD faces a race against time to be fit for Liverpool's Champions League trip to Real Madrid as the post-derby gloom deepened for Rafael Benitez.

Gerrard limped off after just 16 minutes as the Anfield outfit crashed out of the FA Cup by losing 1-0 at neighbours Everton on Wednesday.

Scans yesterday revealed the Liverpool skipper has suffered a tear in the hamstring of his left leg and has been ruled out for three weeks.

REAL Madrid have unveiled their most expensive ever seat ticket for the visit of Liverpool in the Champions League.

Top seats at the Bernabeu for the clash on February 25 will cost £785 - even before the touts get hold of them.

The record-breaking VIP ticket comes with a complimentary team scarf and food and drink from one of the club's restaurants.

UEFA have upheld the decision to reject Real Madrid's request to register both Lassana Diarra and Klaas Jan Huntelaar to play in the Champions League knockout stages.

UEFA's appeals body made the decision yesterday after Madrid, who play Liverpool in the knockout stages, had tried to overturn the initial ruling made by European football's governing body last Thursday.

Madrid had been hoping to register both Diarra and Huntelaar for the Champions League even though regulations state that only one player who has already played in Europe this season can be registered.

FERNANDO TORRES believes Barcelona and not Real Madrid pose the biggest threat to Liverpool's Champions League dream.

And the striker admits that Rafael Benitez's current squad will "never be forgotten" if they manage to end the club's 19-year wait for the championship this season.

The Anfield outfit have been drawn to face Spanish giants Real in the Champions League first knockout round next month.

JERMAINE Pennant's hopes of securing a dream move to Real Madrid appear to have been dashed after the Spanish giants withdrew their £3m offer to Liverpool.

The Reds received a bid from Real for their out of favour winger two days before Christmas but the proposed deal has now mysteriously collapsed.

Initially, personal terms were said to be a possible stumbling block but sources in Spain have indicated that Real withdrew their offer at the request of manager Juande Ramos who is said to be unconvinced about Pennant's ability to make an impact at the La Liga club.

Pennant has become an increasingly peripheral figure at Anfield and has not made a single appearance in Rafa Benitez's side in more than two months.

FERNANDO TORRES is confident Liverpool will overcome Real Madrid in their Champions League last 16 clash.

Torres faced European heartbreak last season when the Reds were knocked out in the semi-finals by Chelsea.

Rafa Benitez's side are unbeaten in this year's competition but now face a tricky test against the reigning La Liga champions.

JERMAINE Pennant could be set for a sensational move to Real Madrid - despite claims he may be on the brink of turning down the move over personal terms.

Liverpool accepted an offer in the region of £3m from the La Liga outfit yesterday and a deal could yet be completed if his personal terms can be resolved.

Pennant is out of contract at Anfield in the summer and would be able to leave Liverpool on a free transfer once his current deal expires in June. So any transfer fee brought in during the January transfer would be welcomed by the Reds.

Several Premier League clubs have been interested in signing the 25-year-old, with Wigan keen to take him on loan in January, and Stoke City and Blackburn having attempted to buy him last summer.

LIVERPOOL great Phil Thompson predicts Fernando Torres will be gunning for old rivals Real Madrid in February after missing out on an emotional return to Atletico Madrid earlier this season.

Yesterday's Champions League draw handed Liverpool a glamour tie with the Spanish giants - only the second time the clubs have met in European competition.

Phil Thompson was skipper the last time the clubs clashed in the 1981 final in Paris, and he said: "Torres didn't get the opportunity to play against Atletico.

THE Champions League draw stirred magical memories for Alan Kennedy of his finest hour - but he doesn't necessarily want a repeat result.

Liverpool's left-back scored from a seemingly impossible angle in Paris in 1981 to give his side victory over Real Madrid in the European Cup final.

That is the only time the two clubs - who have won club football's top honour 14 times between them - have ever played each other, but they will meet again following yesterday's draw for the last 16.

LIVERPOOL have been handed a dream clash with Spanish giants Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League.

It promises to be an emotional return to the Bernabeu for Reds boss Rafa Benitez who was on Real's books as a youngster and spent nine years as a young player there.

It will be the first competitive meeting between the clubs since the 1981 European Cup final in Paris when the Reds triumphed courtesy of a solitary strike from Alan Kennedy.

REAL MADRID president Ramon Calderon has effectively ruled out any move for Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez following the appointment of former Tottenham boss Juande Ramos on an initial six-month contract.

Madrid-born Benitez is reportedly on the brink of signing a new four-year contract with Liverpool which is worth an estimated £16million to the Spaniard.

It will keep Benitez at the club until 2013 and Real, one of the clubs linked with an interest in the Reds boss, put an end to further speculation about his future when Calderon insisted they would prefer to keep Ramos.

What an amazing comeback yesterday at the City of Manchester Stadium, 2-0 down at half time and who would have thought we would come back and win the game 3-2?

Now i'm not going to start getting carried away, after all were only 7 games into the new season, but already so far this season weve shown great character to come from behind on numerous occasions, 4 to be precise, and there seems to be a growing belief in that Liverpool dressing room that we can seriously mount a genuine title challenge this season.

Its obviously a great help when you've got players in the calibre of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, who in my opinion are 2 of the world's best footballers, not just in England, but the work ethic of the team to fight they're way back from the brink is very pleasing indeed. A special mention must go out to Dirk Kuyt so far this season, he is much maligned as a Liverpool player and i'll admit, he isn't my favourite player either

RAFA Benitez today issued a hands off warning to Real Madrid over Daniel Agger after the Spanish giants admitted the Dane is top of their wanted list.

Agger has had to settle for a place on the subs bench in recent weeks due to the fine form of Martin Skrtel and Jamie Carragher - leading to speculation that the former Brondby man could be up for grabs.

Real Madrid are the first club to publicly declare an interest in the 23-year-old with vice-president Jose Angel Sanchez admitting the reigning La Liga champions are ready to make a bid for Agger when the transfer window opens in January.