Madferret
4-27-05, 12:41 PM
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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Semi-final, first leg
Stamford Bridge
Wednesday 27 April
Damien Duff is struggling with an injured left hamstring and will undergo a late fitness test with Arjen Robben standing by to replace him.Paulo Ferreira and Scott Parker remain sidelined with foot injuries.
Liverpool are hopeful Milan Baros will recover from the knee injury he picked up against Crystal Palace. Harry Kewell and Dijbril Cisse are in the squad but are not fit enough to play 90 minutes, while Fernando Morientes is cup-tied. If Baros is ruled out, manager Rafael Benitez could opt to push midfielder Luis Garcia up front.
Garcia missed the Premiership defeat against Crystal Palace on Saturday with a thigh injury but is fit to start, while fellow Spaniard Xabi Alonso has shrugged off his shin problem. Liverpool are without Argentine defender Mauricio Pellegrino, who is ineligible, while goalkeeper Chris Kirkland, midfielder Dietmar Hamann and defender Josemi complete the list of players out injured.
The match will be refereed by 44-year-old Frenchman Alain Sars, who took charge of Liverpool's 3-1 Champions League win away at Bayer Leverkusen in March.
Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Makelele, Terry, Johnson, Gallas, Carvalho, Duff, Robben, Gudjohnsen, Drogba, Smertin, Tiago, Lampard, Cole, Forssell, Kezman, Geremi, Huth.
Liverpool (from): Dudek, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Traore, Luis Garcia, Gerrard, Alonso, Riise, Nunez, Kewell, Baros, Cisse, Le Tallec, Smicer, Biscan, Warnock, Carson, Potter, Welsh.
Head-to-head
Chelsea and Liverpool have never previously met in European competition. Although they've faced each other in 124 league matches and 11 matches in domestic cup competitions.
This season's two Premiership tussles were 1-0 wins for Chelsea, and the Londoners also came up against the Reds in the Carling Cup final, and recorded a 3-2 extra-time win despite Liverpool scoring the fastest ever goal in a League Cup final.
Chelsea have won five of the last six matches played between the two with Liverpool's only win in this period being a 1-0 triumph at Stamford Bridge in January 2004.
In all matches, Chelsea have won 47 times to Liverpool's 62 with 26 draws.
Chelsea have played two previous European ties against English clubs, progressing on both occasions.
Last season, the west Londoners won 3-2 on aggregate against Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-final stage.
34 years ago, Chelsea won both matches 1-0 against Manchester City in a Cup Winners' Cup semi-final fixture.
Liverpool have not been as successful winning only one of their six matches against English clubs in Europe.
That victory was a 1-0 eclipse of Tottenham in the 1972/1973 Uefa Cup semi-finals. The 2-1 defeat in the second leg was enough to send Liverpool through on away goals.
Liverpool failed to score a solitary goal in their other four European matches against English opposition.
In the 1970/1971 Fair Cup semi-finals, they were eliminated 1-0 on aggregate by Leeds.
Eight years later as Champions Cup holders, Liverpool were drawn against the League champions Nottingham Forest in the first round of the Champions Cup. They lost the first leg 2-0 at the City Ground and could only draw 0-0 at Anfield.
European history
This is Chelsea's third season in the Champions League and they have reached at least the last eight every time.
Chelsea have now equalled their best performance in the competition which was achieved last season when they lost to AS Monaco in the semi-finals.
This is west Londoners 14th season in European competition.
The Blues' best European performances were both in the Cup Winners' Cup which they won twice.
In 1970/1971, Chelsea beat Real Madrid 2-1 in a replay (first match ended 1-1) to win the Cup Winners' Cup.
27 years later, in 1997/1998, VfB Stuttgart were beaten in the final of the same competition, 1-0.
Liverpool have won four Champions Cups (in 1977, 1978, 1981 and 1984). The Reds also won three Uefa Cups (1973, 1976, 2001) and two European Super Cups (1977, 2001)
However, reaching this season's semi-final stage is Liverpool's best ever performance in the Champions League.
This season marks Liverpool's third CL participation. They previously reached the 2001/2002 quarter-finals but were knocked out at the first group stage a season later.
Liverpool's last appearance in the final of a European competition was in the 2000/2001 Uefa Cup season when they beat Alaves 5-4 in sudden death extra time after the match had ended in a 4-4 draw after 90 minutes.
The last time Liverpool reached a Champions Cup/Champions League final was 20 years ago. Chelsea have never reached the final of Europe's premier competition.
Current European form
Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 10 European matches at Stamford Bridge since being defeated 2-0 by Besiktas last season.
That match was one of only two home defeats suffered by Chelsea in their European history, the other being a 2-1 defeat by Lazio in March 2000.
However, Chelsea have lost three of their last five matches in the Champions League although all were away from home.
Liverpool have won four and drawn one of their last five matches in the Champions League.
Player and disciplinary info
No player from either team is suspended for this match.
Chelsea's Glen Johnson, Alexei Smertin, Ricardo Carvalho and William Gallas will miss the second leg if they receive a yellow card in the first.
The same goes for Liverpool's Stephen Warnock, Xabi Alonso, Steve Finnan, Jamie Carragher and Dietmar Hamann.
Chelsea's Frank Lampard has scored in the last three Champions League matches.
Didier Drogba scored in both legs of the quarter-final against Bayern Munich. He has scored 10 goals in just 13 appearances for Chelsea and Olympique Marseille.
Claude Makelele is Chelsea's most experienced player in the Champions League with 66 appearances
Frank Lampard, Damien Duff and William Gallas are the only Chelsea players to have played in all 10 CL matches this season.
Four of Liverpool's players have played all 10 Champions League fixtures - Steve Finnan, John Arne Riise, Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia are the quartet.
Hyypia is the only player on either side to have played every minute of his club's CL fixtures this season.
With Morientes (70 CL career matches, 26 goals) and Mauricio Pellegrino (45 CL career matches) not eligible, Jerzy Dudek is the most experienced player in the Liverpool squad with 41 CL appearances and Luis Garcia is the most dangerous striker with four CL career goals.
Other miscellaneous facts
The two managers involved in this match won the two European trophies last season. Jose Mourinho was the coach of Champions League winners FC Porto whilst Rafael Benitez won the Uefa Cup with his Valencia team.
Mourinho is aiming for a third successive European title having won the 2002/2003 Uefa Cup and 2003/2004 Champions League with FC Porto.
Didier Drogba was on the losing side in last season's Uefa Cup final for his previous club Olympique Marseille.
In the fourth round of last season's Uefa Cup, Didier Drogba scored two of Marseille's goals to knock Liverpool out of the competition.
Chelsea are two goals away from conceding 100 goals in European competition.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Semi-final, first leg
Stamford Bridge
Wednesday 27 April
Damien Duff is struggling with an injured left hamstring and will undergo a late fitness test with Arjen Robben standing by to replace him.Paulo Ferreira and Scott Parker remain sidelined with foot injuries.
Liverpool are hopeful Milan Baros will recover from the knee injury he picked up against Crystal Palace. Harry Kewell and Dijbril Cisse are in the squad but are not fit enough to play 90 minutes, while Fernando Morientes is cup-tied. If Baros is ruled out, manager Rafael Benitez could opt to push midfielder Luis Garcia up front.
Garcia missed the Premiership defeat against Crystal Palace on Saturday with a thigh injury but is fit to start, while fellow Spaniard Xabi Alonso has shrugged off his shin problem. Liverpool are without Argentine defender Mauricio Pellegrino, who is ineligible, while goalkeeper Chris Kirkland, midfielder Dietmar Hamann and defender Josemi complete the list of players out injured.
The match will be refereed by 44-year-old Frenchman Alain Sars, who took charge of Liverpool's 3-1 Champions League win away at Bayer Leverkusen in March.
Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Makelele, Terry, Johnson, Gallas, Carvalho, Duff, Robben, Gudjohnsen, Drogba, Smertin, Tiago, Lampard, Cole, Forssell, Kezman, Geremi, Huth.
Liverpool (from): Dudek, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Traore, Luis Garcia, Gerrard, Alonso, Riise, Nunez, Kewell, Baros, Cisse, Le Tallec, Smicer, Biscan, Warnock, Carson, Potter, Welsh.
Head-to-head
Chelsea and Liverpool have never previously met in European competition. Although they've faced each other in 124 league matches and 11 matches in domestic cup competitions.
This season's two Premiership tussles were 1-0 wins for Chelsea, and the Londoners also came up against the Reds in the Carling Cup final, and recorded a 3-2 extra-time win despite Liverpool scoring the fastest ever goal in a League Cup final.
Chelsea have won five of the last six matches played between the two with Liverpool's only win in this period being a 1-0 triumph at Stamford Bridge in January 2004.
In all matches, Chelsea have won 47 times to Liverpool's 62 with 26 draws.
Chelsea have played two previous European ties against English clubs, progressing on both occasions.
Last season, the west Londoners won 3-2 on aggregate against Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-final stage.
34 years ago, Chelsea won both matches 1-0 against Manchester City in a Cup Winners' Cup semi-final fixture.
Liverpool have not been as successful winning only one of their six matches against English clubs in Europe.
That victory was a 1-0 eclipse of Tottenham in the 1972/1973 Uefa Cup semi-finals. The 2-1 defeat in the second leg was enough to send Liverpool through on away goals.
Liverpool failed to score a solitary goal in their other four European matches against English opposition.
In the 1970/1971 Fair Cup semi-finals, they were eliminated 1-0 on aggregate by Leeds.
Eight years later as Champions Cup holders, Liverpool were drawn against the League champions Nottingham Forest in the first round of the Champions Cup. They lost the first leg 2-0 at the City Ground and could only draw 0-0 at Anfield.
European history
This is Chelsea's third season in the Champions League and they have reached at least the last eight every time.
Chelsea have now equalled their best performance in the competition which was achieved last season when they lost to AS Monaco in the semi-finals.
This is west Londoners 14th season in European competition.
The Blues' best European performances were both in the Cup Winners' Cup which they won twice.
In 1970/1971, Chelsea beat Real Madrid 2-1 in a replay (first match ended 1-1) to win the Cup Winners' Cup.
27 years later, in 1997/1998, VfB Stuttgart were beaten in the final of the same competition, 1-0.
Liverpool have won four Champions Cups (in 1977, 1978, 1981 and 1984). The Reds also won three Uefa Cups (1973, 1976, 2001) and two European Super Cups (1977, 2001)
However, reaching this season's semi-final stage is Liverpool's best ever performance in the Champions League.
This season marks Liverpool's third CL participation. They previously reached the 2001/2002 quarter-finals but were knocked out at the first group stage a season later.
Liverpool's last appearance in the final of a European competition was in the 2000/2001 Uefa Cup season when they beat Alaves 5-4 in sudden death extra time after the match had ended in a 4-4 draw after 90 minutes.
The last time Liverpool reached a Champions Cup/Champions League final was 20 years ago. Chelsea have never reached the final of Europe's premier competition.
Current European form
Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 10 European matches at Stamford Bridge since being defeated 2-0 by Besiktas last season.
That match was one of only two home defeats suffered by Chelsea in their European history, the other being a 2-1 defeat by Lazio in March 2000.
However, Chelsea have lost three of their last five matches in the Champions League although all were away from home.
Liverpool have won four and drawn one of their last five matches in the Champions League.
Player and disciplinary info
No player from either team is suspended for this match.
Chelsea's Glen Johnson, Alexei Smertin, Ricardo Carvalho and William Gallas will miss the second leg if they receive a yellow card in the first.
The same goes for Liverpool's Stephen Warnock, Xabi Alonso, Steve Finnan, Jamie Carragher and Dietmar Hamann.
Chelsea's Frank Lampard has scored in the last three Champions League matches.
Didier Drogba scored in both legs of the quarter-final against Bayern Munich. He has scored 10 goals in just 13 appearances for Chelsea and Olympique Marseille.
Claude Makelele is Chelsea's most experienced player in the Champions League with 66 appearances
Frank Lampard, Damien Duff and William Gallas are the only Chelsea players to have played in all 10 CL matches this season.
Four of Liverpool's players have played all 10 Champions League fixtures - Steve Finnan, John Arne Riise, Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia are the quartet.
Hyypia is the only player on either side to have played every minute of his club's CL fixtures this season.
With Morientes (70 CL career matches, 26 goals) and Mauricio Pellegrino (45 CL career matches) not eligible, Jerzy Dudek is the most experienced player in the Liverpool squad with 41 CL appearances and Luis Garcia is the most dangerous striker with four CL career goals.
Other miscellaneous facts
The two managers involved in this match won the two European trophies last season. Jose Mourinho was the coach of Champions League winners FC Porto whilst Rafael Benitez won the Uefa Cup with his Valencia team.
Mourinho is aiming for a third successive European title having won the 2002/2003 Uefa Cup and 2003/2004 Champions League with FC Porto.
Didier Drogba was on the losing side in last season's Uefa Cup final for his previous club Olympique Marseille.
In the fourth round of last season's Uefa Cup, Didier Drogba scored two of Marseille's goals to knock Liverpool out of the competition.
Chelsea are two goals away from conceding 100 goals in European competition.