Benitez takes swipe at rival Jose
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Rafa Benitez kicked off the war of words with Jose Mourinho following Liverpool's UEFA Champions League win over PSV Eindhoven.
The Reds will meet Chelsea in a repeat of the all-English semi-final of 2005 and Mourinho insisted after Chelsea's victory over Valencia that Benitez's team would start as favourites to repeat their victory of two years ago.
The Portuguese claimed on Tuesday that Chelsea's need to channel their energies across two other fronts as well as their European campaign could favour a Liverpool side who can concentrate solely on their bid abroad.
Benitez claims Mourinho would not have it any other way: "That is what they [Chelsea] want. They must be there and they must compete for every competition, that is their aim."
The Spaniard revealed that relations between the two rivals soured after he began to get the better of his Chelsea adversary.
"We were good friends until we started winning, then he started changing his mind," added Benitez.
"It is the same with all the managers of the top sides. He has very good relationships with managers of teams that normally he beats.
"Then he started fighting with the managers of the top sides. He has already started it with us, yesterday!"
Benitez remains confident his side will beat Chelsea but admits the Premiership champions will be fired by thoughts of revenge.
"Always as a manager, you must be confident your team can win, and any Liverpool team will always be confident.
"But we know Chelsea are a very good team. In the last five years, they have spent big money on players and they have a very good squad.
"They may not accept what happened here two years ago, but they cannot change things now.
"They are very difficult team to play against. What we will do now is concentrate on the Premier League and then we will concentrate on Chelsea.
"But they will be tough. They have spent money for five years, they are in other semi-finals and chasing trophies, that is what they want and have prepared for.
"Yes, we only have one trophy to go for, but they would not want to change what they are doing now."
sky
Rafa Benitez kicked off the war of words with Jose Mourinho following Liverpool's UEFA Champions League win over PSV Eindhoven.
The Reds will meet Chelsea in a repeat of the all-English semi-final of 2005 and Mourinho insisted after Chelsea's victory over Valencia that Benitez's team would start as favourites to repeat their victory of two years ago.
The Portuguese claimed on Tuesday that Chelsea's need to channel their energies across two other fronts as well as their European campaign could favour a Liverpool side who can concentrate solely on their bid abroad.
Benitez claims Mourinho would not have it any other way: "That is what they [Chelsea] want. They must be there and they must compete for every competition, that is their aim."
The Spaniard revealed that relations between the two rivals soured after he began to get the better of his Chelsea adversary.
"We were good friends until we started winning, then he started changing his mind," added Benitez.
"It is the same with all the managers of the top sides. He has very good relationships with managers of teams that normally he beats.
"Then he started fighting with the managers of the top sides. He has already started it with us, yesterday!"
Benitez remains confident his side will beat Chelsea but admits the Premiership champions will be fired by thoughts of revenge.
"Always as a manager, you must be confident your team can win, and any Liverpool team will always be confident.
"But we know Chelsea are a very good team. In the last five years, they have spent big money on players and they have a very good squad.
"They may not accept what happened here two years ago, but they cannot change things now.
"They are very difficult team to play against. What we will do now is concentrate on the Premier League and then we will concentrate on Chelsea.
"But they will be tough. They have spent money for five years, they are in other semi-finals and chasing trophies, that is what they want and have prepared for.
"Yes, we only have one trophy to go for, but they would not want to change what they are doing now."
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