RAFA'S REACTION TO CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW
Paul Eaton 30 August 2007

Rafael Benitez has warned his Liverpool side face a tough task to qualify for the knock-out stages of the Champions League following today's draw in Monaco.
The Reds have been placed in Group A of the competition along with Porto, Marseille and Besiktas as they look to enjoy another successful European adventure this term.
"It's clear when you look at some of the other groups that ours could have been easier," said the Reds' boss.
"Porto have good experience in the Champions League and have enjoyed a good record over recent seasons. They will be tough opposition for us.
"Marseille are a good side in the French league and they will know a lot about us which could make it more difficult.
"And you always know when you go to Turkey that it will be hard because of the travelling involved and the wonderful support they give their teams over there.
"I am always confident we can qualify but as ever the key will be winning the home games and picking up results away."

Full Schedule :

September
18 Porto (away)

October
3 Marseille (home)
24 Besiktas (away)

November
6 Besiktas (home)
28 Porto (home)

December
11 Marseille (away))


Our Squad in UCL 2007 taken from http://www.uefa.com

Goalkeepers
Pepe Reina
Charles Itandje
David Martin

Defenders
Sami Hyypiä
Jamie Carragher
John Arne Riise
Steve Finnan
Álvaro Arbeloa
Daniel Agger
Fabio Aurelio
Stephen Darby
Robert Threlfall
Jack Hobbs

Midfielders
Yossi Benayoun
Steven Gerrard
Harry Kewell
Jermaine Pennant
Xabi Alonso
Mohamed Sissoko
Javier Mascherano
Ryan Flynn
Sebastian Leto
Lucas Leiva
Ray Putterill
Jay Spearing

Forwards
Andriy Voronin
Dirk Kuyt
Peter Crouch
Fernando Torres
Ryan Babel
Craig Lindfield

Manager: Rafael Benitez


Liverpool face familiar foes
Thursday 30 August 2007

Last season's runners-up Liverpool FC will begin their quest for a sixth European Champion Clubs' Cup in UEFA Champions League Group A which includes two sides, FC Porto and Olympique de Marseille, who they have met in European competition in recent seasons.

Recent meetings
The Merseyside club ousted the Portuguese side from the UEFA Cup quarter-finals in 2000/01 and went on to lift the trophy, although Marseille proved too strong when the teams met in the UEFA Cup fourth round three years later. Marseille – who signed forward Djibril Cissé and midfielder Boudewijn Zenden from Anfield this summer – went on to reach the final where they were beaten by Valencia CF, who were then coached by the current Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez. Beşiktaş JK are also in the section, meaning another return to Istanbul, the city where Liverpool won the last of their five European Cups in 2005.

Rafael Benítez, Liverpool manager
It's clear when you look at some of the other groups that ours could have been easier. Porto have good experience in the Champions League and have enjoyed a good record over recent seasons. They will be tough opposition for us. Marseille are a good side in Ligue 1 and they will know a lot about us which could make it more difficult. And you always know when you go to Turkey that it will be hard because of the travelling involved and the wonderful support they give their teams over there. I am always confident we can qualify but as ever the key will be winning the home games and picking up results away.

Vítor Baía, Porto external relations director
These kind of draws are always quite even. For what we have done in this competition and with our potential we have all the qualities to go further. Anfield is one of the most difficult grounds and Liverpool have strengthened their team and have a good history in UEFA club competition. Marseille are a very different side now and have Cissé as their attacking spearhead. Beşiktaş have [former Sporting Clube de Portugal midfielder Rodrigo] Tello, Ricardinho and some very good Turkish players.

José Anigo, Marseille sporting director
It is not so bad. We can do something interesting. We know Porto very well. They have a great striker [Ricardo] Quaresma. As for Liverpool, we might have a chance for revenge on Rafael Benítez. We know Anfield well, Djibril and Bolo have played there already. Djibril wanted Liverpool. We have a chance to go through and I'm satisfied.

Ertuğrul Sağlam, Beşiktaş coach
Our aim will be to qualify for the next round. We have a high-quality team. Me and my staff believe we can go through. There is no need to evaluate the teams that we have drawn individually, because all of them are world renowned.


Let’s begin with FC Porto

FC PORTO

Goalkeepers
Helton
Nuno
Ventura

Defenders
Bruno Alves
Pedro Emanuel
Milan Stepanov
Marek Čech
José Bosingwa
Jorge Fucile
João Paulo
Lino

Midfielders
Przemysław Kaźmierczak
Castro
Rui Pedro
Leandro Lima
Luis Aguiar
Mario Bolatti
Paulo Assunção
Ricardo Quaresma
Luis "Lucho" González
Raul Meireles

Forwards
Tarik Sektioui
Ernesto Farías
Hélder Postiga
Lisandro López
Mariano González
Adriano
Edgar
Bruno Moraes

Manager: Jesualdo Ferreira


Dragon Stadium :





FC Porto is ex Maurinho club, I think bad experience two years ago when we met Benfica can be a lesson for Benitez. Ricardo Quaresma will make our Defenders busy, maybe Benitez should set Arbeloa for covering him.



OLYMPIQUE MARSEILLE

Goalkeepers
Sébastien Mate
Mehdi Sennaoui
Sébastien Hamel
Steve Mandanda (on loan from Le Havre AC)


Defenders
Taye Ismaila Taiwo
Julien Rodriguez
Jacques Faty
Leyti N'Diaye
Ronald Zubar
Habib Beye
Laurent Bonnart
Mame N'Diaye
Pape M'Bow
Hassoun Camara
Gael Givet

Midfielders
Karim Ziani
Benoit Cheyrou
Wilson Oruma
Boudewijn Zenden
Salim Arrache
Samir Nasri
Mathieu Valbuena
André Ayew
Modeste M'Bami
Vincent Gragnic
Lorik Cana

Forwards
Djibril Cissé
Mamadou Niang
Fabrice Fiorèse
Matt Moussilou

Manager: Albert Emon


Stade Velodrome stadium






We lost aggregate 3-2 from Marseille in fourth round UEFA League2003/2004. 1-1 in Anfield and 1-2 in Stade Velodrome.
Marseille playing not too bad last season but in this season they not in their best perform yet. From the latest game we must careful to Mamadou Niang, Our former forward Djibril Cisse, and the new France star Samir Nasri. We also meet Zenden there.



BESIKTAS J.K.

Goalkeepers
Hakan Arıkan
Korcan Çelikay
Murat Şahin
Atilla Özmen
Rüştü Reçber

Defenders
Mustafa Doğan
Gökhan Zan
Baki Mercimek
Serdar Kurtuluş
Lamine Diatta
İbrahim Üzülmez
Ali Tandoğan
Koray Şanlı
Koray Avcı
İbrahim Toraman
İbrahim Kaş

Midfielders
Mehmet Sedef
Mehmet Yozgatlı
Burak Yılmaz
Matías Delgado
Rodrigo Tello
Ricardinho
Édouard Cissé
Aydın Karabulut
Serdar Özkan
İbrahim Akın

Forwards
Federico Higuaín
Mert Nobre
Bobô
Batuhan Karadeniz

Manager: Ertuğrul Sağlam


Inonu Stadium






Besiktas not too special but they have very fanatic fans. In Anfield maybe we not have too much problem but in away game Edouard Cisse, Rustu Recber, Mustafa Dogan and Ricardinho are player to watch


From one Besiktas fans :

Our formation is, Hakan,Serdar Kurtuluş İ.Toraman Gökhan İ.Üzülmez, Serdar Özkan Cisse Tello Ricardinho Delgado, Bobo, our two goalkeepers Hakan and Rustu, and all four defenders are national team's senior players.
Eduard Cisse came from PSG and Rodrigo Tello came from Sporting this summer.
Matias Delgado is an ex-Basel player maybe you know (scored all 3 besiktas' goals in 3rd qualifying rd win over FC Zurich) Ricardinho played for Brazil at 2006 World Cup.
And Bobo is our best player on the squad. He played for U-19 Brazil team three years ago. He is only 22, and very talented player. Bordeaux offered 8 million euro for him this summer but rejected. Our weakness is being very young and so inexperienced for at this level. We won all three matches in league and shares with first place with Galatasaray.
and i hope we get a second place.



This is our Champions trophy :





So… how about you? What’s your prediction ?