Barça hurrying injured stars back to paper over cracks, says Benítez
Paul Walker
Thursday February 15, 2007
The Guardian
Liverpool's manager, Rafael Benítez, believes Barcelona are trying to hurry the injured stars Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi back into action in time for next week's Champions League tie at the Camp Nou because of their recent poor results.
"Yes, I think they have been trying to push these players back quickly for this game," he said. "When the draw was made people were saying Barcelona are the best team in the world. After two months we are a lot better and they have had some problems. They need Eto'o fit, and Messi because they haven't been scoring a lot of goals."
Benítez went on to claim that Liverpool will have huge support in Spain over the two legs. "We have a lot of supporters in Spain now. The rivalry between other clubs like Madrid and Barcelona is similar to Liverpool playing Everton, so I think we will have a lot of supporters for this game.
"It will be hard there but it will be good for us to score," he added. "Always for us to play the second leg at Anfield is important. Liverpool have never lost at the Camp Nou and they have played three times. I would like to keep this record."
The Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard, shared his manager's confidence, saying: "We have to believe in our ability and not spend too much time worrying about Barça. If you do that you will give yourself nightmares because they are a great side."
There was good news for Barça yesterday as Eto'o and Ronaldinho appeared to have settled their differences and were seen hugging and laughing together in training. The pair had criticised each other for not putting the team first after Eto'o allegedly refused to come on as a substitute against Racing Santander on Sunday.
Liverpool and West Ham sweat over legality of Mascherano deal
Matt Scott and Mark Walker
Thursday February 15, 2007
The Guardian
Liverpool may have to wait until next week before a decision is reached over the legality of Javier Mascherano's loan move from West Ham United.
The Premier League's legal department is poring over details of the contracts between the Argentina international and his representatives to investigate whether there has been any breach of the Premier League's regulations over player ownership. Sources claim that so complex are the reams of paperwork that the league is not ready to announce its verdict and might not be in a position to do so until next week.
That should not concern Liverpool unduly, since they have no match this weekend following their third-round exit from the FA Cup to Arsenal. But it would extend West Ham's worries.
The relegation-threatened Upton Park club are not currently under investigation. However, if any transfer documents are found to have been withheld or falsified in Mascherano and Carlos Tevez's original moves to West Ham, it is expected that club officials will be interviewed.
Paul Aldridge, Terry Brown - the former chief executive and chairman who are no longer with the club - and the current deputy chief executive, Scott Duxbury, would be approached along with Kia Joorabchian, who fronts the syndicate that is associated with the two Argentina internationals. Certain rival Premiership clubs have called for an immediate probe and for points to be docked from West Ham.
In a circular last week, all 20 Premiership clubs were asked by the league to provide details of any player ownership structures that might contain perceived infractions of competition rules. The responses will also be considered after the legal department has dealt with Mascherano's move to Anfield.
...and loads of takeover related pics in "The Gallery"
Quite funny!
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