Barcelona.......

[johnly]

I know there's the doubters out there and I'm really happy to see the positivity too, but the way I see it is... We're going through.

Barca can be beaten at home, its be mentioned before we can smother the life out of Barca and stop the big threats in their side. Sissoko will have to have a big game, Gerrard will be fired up and I don't care whats happened in the past few days but everyone on that pitch better by ready to spill every drop of Mersey red blood in their veins to get the result we need. Both sides have had their off field issues recently, we've just got to show we're the better side. Rafa will have to pull out the special team talk again.

Result wise though I'm thinking 0-0 at the Nou Camp (or maybe we'll scrape it 1-0) and then 2-0 at Anfield. We win this and beet Utd as well and all the bad news from the weekend will be forgotten

[jonesie]

Balague on Barca

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/NG155013070219-1433.htm

It says everything about Liverpool's chances of progressing in the Champions League that the calmest man at Anfield after the draw was made was Rafael Benitez.

Whereas some people may have been a bit disappointed or apprehensive after being paired with last season's champions, Rafa's response was a simple 'it's okay, we can beat them'.

During his time in Spain Rafa proved he knows how to beat Barcelona. He is one of the few coaches in Europe who will be able to put together a tactical plan to succeed against Frank Rijkaard's men.

He will be brave without being too brave and he will give his players the chance to produce a performance, while always being aware of the dangers Barcelona can pose as an attacking force.

I think it will be a cagey game at the Nou Camp and that, ultimately, the tie will be decided at Anfield.

Rafa's record against Barcelona will rightly encourage the Liverpool supporters, but I don't think it will weigh too heavily on the minds of the Spanish players. They will be more focused on putting a difficult period behind them and making sure they are in the right frame of mind for the games.

They have been going through a troubled spell of late and it's true to say that all is not right at the club – but it's also true to say that a truce has been called until the end of the season.

There are problems within the camp but for the rest of this campaign they are attempting to put them to one side and trying to get everybody pulling in the same direction. I think they are more worried about themselves than about what Liverpool can do.

I do think that what we have been seeing this week is the beginning of the end for Barcelona as we know them. It will be a different Barcelona from next season.

On a positive note for them, however, they do appear to be reaching the peak of their game at the right time. Last weekend saw them produce some of their best football of the season so far and some of their top players were starting to show their top form.

Any club can have problems, but when you can also field the likes of Xavi, Deco, Iniesta and Ronaldinho then it's clear they are going to be a danger whatever the situation in the dressing room.

A bonus for Liverpool is the fact that Eto'o, despite his return to action, is still a long way short of total match fitness. He had a very serious injury and he has clearly jumped the last stage of his rehabilitation. He admits he isn't feeling secure as far as his knee is concerned which is bad news for neutrals but good news for Liverpool.

This season they have actually scored more goals without Eto'o compared to last season when they had him, but it's in these big matches when he can often score the first, important, goal. They are a worse team without him, that's for sure.

So, how can Liverpool stop Barcelona playing the brilliant attacking football we have all admired on TV? For me, the key is in midfield and on stopping Xavi. Barcelona are very strong in the centre and if you can win that battle then you have a great chance of getting the right result.

Forget about trying to stop Ronaldinho. Defending against him is impossible, but what you can do is stop him influencing the game by stopping the players who give him the ball and who give him the platform to perform. Xavi, Deco and Iniesta are the ones who will try to feed the brilliant Brazilian and that is something Rafa will be well aware of.

I don't know what Liverpool's plan is going to be but they do have the players to stop Barcelona. They need their strongest players playing across the centre – the likes of Alonso, Sissoko and Gerrard – and they are going to have to be at the top of the game and ready for a hard night's work.

Everyone has their predictions about the tie and how it's going to unfold over the two games, but when I speak to friends and journalists in Spain I don't think they realise how important Anfield is going to be in the second leg. They don't understand what that stadium could do to them or their team.

Some of the Barcelona players will have played at Anfield before, but if the Liverpool fans can reproduce anything like the atmosphere from the famous Chelsea semi-final then it could blow them away.

I've been to the biggest matches in the biggest stadiums all over the world but there is nothing like Anfield on a major European night.

I can't wait for these matches now. On the night of the second leg I'm working at SKY until 5pm and from then I have two and three quarter hours to make it to the game. I'm getting a flight from Heathrow to Manchester and then travelling as fast as possible to make it in time for kick off. I don't want to miss it because I have a feeling it's going to be another occasion to savour.

My prediction is that Barcelona will win the first leg but I don't think they'll build up a big enough lead to defend at Anfield. I think Liverpool will then go through after extra time.

Coming from an Espanyol fan first and a Liverpool fan second, let's hope I'm right.

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I like that. To stop Ronaldino, you just stop the players giving him the ball. Simple.

[Shaggy]

Yeah but he's an Español fan.

[Marky]

Yeah but he's an Español fan.

And a Liverpool fan too

[Mumsafan]

And a Liverpool fan too

Marky completely misses the point

[Redlife]

It was encouraging how static their defenders were against Valencia. They just stood and stared while Valencia played through them.

[johnly]

It was encouraging how static their defenders were against Valencia. They just stood and stared while Valencia played through them.

Yeah the Barca defence were doing plenty of ball watching for one of Valencias goals, they stood about like statues. Encouraging signs if we can whip in wads of crosses and our forwards are on song.

[AFII]

Yeah the Barca defence were doing plenty of ball watching for one of Valencias goals, they stood about like statues. Encouraging signs if we can whip in wads of crosses and our forwards are on song.

The problem is that we don't have any attacking player that is very good in the air.

[tomasjj]

The problem is that we don't have any attacking player that is very good in the air.

did valencia score any headers last night?

[jonesie]

did valencia score any headers last night?

No because Nando was playing.

[tomasjj]

No because Nando was playing.

Ah...Nando. A fine footballer and good pro.
Shame it didn't work out.

Shows how much goalscoring is a confidence thing.

[tomasjj]

To chuck out a line up.....here is my guess:

3-5-2/5-3-2 variant.

-----------Reina
------Carra Sami Agger
Finnan- Xabi - Momo - Aurelio
-----------Gerrard-----------
-----------Crouch-----------
-----------Tiger-------------

[jonesie]

Ah...Nando. A fine footballer and good pro.
Shame it didn't work out.

Shows how much goalscoring is a confidence thing.

Yeah he was. I so wanted it to work for him here becuase I'd followed his career before he came and was delighted when he signed.

I saw a programme about him on Eurosport about a month ago, he was reviewing every season he'd played in the Champions League. He scored some class goals. He had some nice things to say about us too.

[anfieldanfield]

I've said it before, but if it's 0-0 after half an hour at the Camp Nou, we'll go through in the tie.

Unfortunately, I dont think it will be and I can see them getting an early goal and beating us 2-0...

[lfcruleus]

Ok people, half way, anyone wanna change thier minds? I still think we will go out, kinda have a bad feeling still. But hey i thought Juve, Chelsea and Milan would beat us 2 years ago.