Rafael Benitez hopes team match fans

By Redsfan
May 2 2005

The Liverpool team needs to match their supporters for effort and passion on Tuesday night against Chelsea says Rafael Benitez.

He feels confident that they can raise their game enough to win the match.


Benitez said: "We need to score one more goal than them and we need to have the right mentality against Chelsea. We know how good our supporters will be and hearing them against Olympiacos, Bayer Leverkusen and Juventus we know they are very important to us. We have the best supporters in England and in Europe and we have a clear idea about what to do. I am sure we can win."

Benitez is well aware that Chelsea only need to draw to progress to the final but he has told his players to keep their focus and start with a high tempo.

Benitez said: "The most important thing as a manager is to be calm and relaxed and focus on this game. We are thinking about 90 minutes and if we start with a high tempo then maybe we can score the first goal.

"Chelsea are a very good team with a lot of possibilities and are strong but we have good players too and for me Steven Gerrard will be the key player.

"I offer my congratulations to the manager and the players of Chelsea on winning the Premiership title!

"Before the first game at Stamford Bridge everybody was talking as though Chelsea were already through but after it maybe we have got more credit.