Fans told me to wait for Madrid match The enormity of the Anfield occasion which awaits Brendan Rodgers and his Liverpool side this evening was hammered home to the boss in a chance conversation with a couple of Kopites earlier this month. Having helped bring a five-year absence from the Champions League to a conclusion at the end of last season, Rodgers savoured a special moment in September as the club returned with a 2-1 win against Ludogorets Razgrad. The Kop was an awesome sight as supporters unveiled five gigantic European Cups in stunning mosaic form before bellowing a spine-tingling rendition of Youll Never Walk Alone to herald the teams return to the continents elite. Tonight, though, Rodgers knows the noise levels, the passion and poignancy will rise to a new level when Cristiano Ronaldo and co take to the Anfield turf in the signature all-white strip of the competitions 10-time winners, Real Madrid. The fans will be massive against Madrid, Rodgers told Liverpoolfc. I remember talking to a couple of fans a few weeks back and havent forgotten what they said. They told me: Just wait until you see the Real Madrid game. So Ive bore that in mind ever since and I know its going to be a special night for them. Its a reward for them for their loyalty and the patience that theyve shown with the team over the last number of years. Sometimes its just about taking a step back. Last night I had a think about where we were when I came in and then realised that in a couple of nights time we would be playing in the Champions League against Real Madrid. Were joint-fourth in the league and we havent been near our form yet. Theres lots to be positive about. Liverpools opponents trained on the Anfield turf on Tuesday night, shortly after Rodgers players were put through their paces in front of the same eerily empty stadium, which was battered by strong winds throughout the entire session. The Madrid players worked in spite of the bitter rain - and as they sprinted back and forth, the calibre of their squad became apparent. Even without Gareth Bale, who has not travelled to Merseyside, Carlo Ancelotti has an array of talent to choose from. You have to be mindful that they are arguably the best attack in world football at the moment, so you cant go gung-ho, thats for sure, said Rodgers. You have to have a real focused plan of how you deal with their strengths. And on the counter-attack they are absolutely clinical. Weve seen that over the course of the last year or so. So theres no doubting the focus and the confidence about how we play the game, but theres no doubt that you have to respect their qualities as well. I think people will see and know what were capable of. I think weve shown that over the course of the last 18 months. Weve showed it in glimpses, like at Tottenham Hotspur, this year. So it wouldnt be a surprise for us to go and win and play well, because weve been doing it consistently for a while. But the confidence that a victory over a team such as Real Madrid can give you would be great. For us its important because of the points - we want to qualify from the group stages. Meanwhile, Rodgers hopes to have Lucas Leiva available for selection when the wait for the mouthwatering Group B clash with Los Blancos finally comes to an end tonight and the sides clash at Anfield under the floodlights. However, the manager has confirmed that Mamadou Sakho will play no part in the fixture. The Frenchman has not featured for the Reds since sustaining a thigh injury in training at the end of September. Weve obviously a couple of niggles from the game at the weekend but well see how that is, said Rodgers. Lucas Leiva was out for the weekend, so were hoping hell be available for [Madrid]. Mamadou Sakho is still out, so he wont be available.
Posted on: Wed, 22 Oct 2014 18:00:00 +0000
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