Rijkaard tries to turn the pressure on Liverpool
Mon Mar 5, 2007 9:39 PM GMT147
By Mike Collett
LIVERPOOL, England, March 5 (Reuters) - Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard launched an extraordinary verbal volley against his Liverpool counterpart Rafa Benitez on Monday on the eve of the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at Anfield.
European champions Barcelona go into the game 2-1 down after Liverpool came from behind at the Nou Camp stadium two weeks ago and the Spanish side must score at least twice to stand any chance of going through.
Earlier in the day Benitez told a news conference he expected Barcelona to go looking for goals from the kickoff and said he believed they would start with three strikers -- Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi in a 3-4-3 formation.
When Rijkaard was told what Benitez had said he replied: "I think it is great to play against a team whose manager knows everything. But you know what they say, people who say they know everything are often the ones who know the least."
Rijkaard said he would not reveal his lineup or tactical plans and could not predict the result.
"I've left my crystal ball at home," he said. "But we made life difficult for ourselves after the first leg.
Mon Mar 5, 2007 9:39 PM GMT147
By Mike Collett
LIVERPOOL, England, March 5 (Reuters) - Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard launched an extraordinary verbal volley against his Liverpool counterpart Rafa Benitez on Monday on the eve of the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at Anfield.
European champions Barcelona go into the game 2-1 down after Liverpool came from behind at the Nou Camp stadium two weeks ago and the Spanish side must score at least twice to stand any chance of going through.
Earlier in the day Benitez told a news conference he expected Barcelona to go looking for goals from the kickoff and said he believed they would start with three strikers -- Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi in a 3-4-3 formation.
When Rijkaard was told what Benitez had said he replied: "I think it is great to play against a team whose manager knows everything. But you know what they say, people who say they know everything are often the ones who know the least."
Rijkaard said he would not reveal his lineup or tactical plans and could not predict the result.
"I've left my crystal ball at home," he said. "But we made life difficult for ourselves after the first leg.
nice one Rafa, I bet that really pissed off Rijkaard when he found out that Rafa knew what he was thinking, I wonder if that will make him change his lineup, not likely really, same thing happened when they played Chelsea in the past, Maureen rhymed off the Barca starting 11 a day or two before kickoff, and they still started with the same team.If anything, Rafa is winning the early psychological battle.
go Rafa
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