Chelsea hold the aces going into the second leg of their Champions League semifinal at home to Liverpool on Wednesday.
With an away goal, Chelsea have slight advantage in their 2nd leg Champions League semifinal clash against arch-rivals Liverpool
LONDON: Chelsea hold the aces going into the second leg of their Champions League semifinal at home to Liverpool on Wednesday.
Liverpool may have the tradition and five European Cups to their name, but John Arne Riise’s own-goal deep into stoppage time in the first leg at Anfield last Tuesday handed Chelsea a priceless away goal and a 1-1 draw. Chelsea start as favourites to reach the final for the first time and as long as Avram Grant’s men stop Liverpool from finding the net they will face Manchester United or Barcelona at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on May 21.
Liverpool and Chelsea, meeting in their third Champions League semifinal in
four seasons, will be facing each other for the 20th time in all competitions in that period. The Anfield club won both previous semis in 2005 and 2007 but Chelsea will be in good spirits after their battling 2-1 win over Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday kept alive their hopes of a double.
Chelsea also have an excellent recent record over Liverpool, who have not scored in eight visits to Stamford Bridge since Rafa Benitez took charge at Anfield in 2004. The Londoners have turned Stamford Bridge into a fortress, having not lost a domestic match since February 2004 and any game since losing 2-1 to Barcelona in the first leg of the Champions League first knockout round in February 2006.
Chelsea are also likely to have Frank Lampard back in the squad after the England midfielder missed the United match following the death of his mother. Lampard resumed training on Sunday, but even if he declares himself ready to return, Grant might be tempted to retain the midfielders who performed so well against United, led by two-goal German Michael Ballack
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