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Vicente Calderon, Madrid
Wednesday 22 October 2008 - 20.45CET
Group D - Matchday 3
There may be no homecoming for Fernando Torres at Club Atlético de Madrid on Wednesday but the arrival of Rafael Benítez and his “Spanish Liverpool” for the UEFA Champions League encounter has the city buzzing with excitement.
‘Alarm bells’
Javier Aguirre and Benítez have guided their teams into commanding positions in Group D, both with maximum points from two matches, but there the similarities end. While Liverpool FC go into the game relaxed and confident after keeping pace with Premier League leaders Chelsea FC following Saturday’s 3-2 win against Wigan Athletic FC, Atlético are feeling the heat of a third successive Liga defeat, this one against arch-rivals Real Madrid CF.
‘Good spirits’
“At any club in any league in the world, losing three consecutive league games would cause alarm bells to ring and speculation to begin,” Aguirre said. “We’re used to this. The team remain in good spirits. The Champions League is a different competition and we want to continue doing well in it. Maybe we’re more concentrated in the Champions League as we haven’t played in this competition for a long time. In our domestic league, maybe we feel we know our opponents too well.”
Injury concerns
Aguirre has shrugged off speculation about his future, saying he “feels as strong as ever” as he prepares to make changes to the side that lost to a 96th-minute Real Madrid penalty on Saturday. Unfortunately for the Mexican, livewire striker Sergio Agüero, who has three Group D goals already, will not start because of “muscular pains caused by tiredness”, despite training on Tuesday. His place is likely to be taken by former Liverpool forward Florent Sinama Pongolle. Pablo Ibáñez is back to full fitness, but Grégory Coupet, Tomáš Ujfaluši and Maxi Rodríguez are all out with thigh problems.
Torres out
Benítez has injury troubles too, not least affecting Atlético old boy Torres who has remained in England to recover from a hamstring problem. “I spoke with the [club] doctor and we agreed that because we have so many important games coming up, it would be better for him to stay in Liverpool,” Benítez said. As well as Torres, Liverpool will be missing centre-back Martin Škrtel (knee) and full-back Philipp Degen (ribs), yet Fábio Aurélio has overcome his calf complaint.
Benítez homecoming
Torres may be unable to revisit the stadium he graced for seven seasons before joining Liverpool two summers ago, but Benítez is enjoying a homecoming of his own. The 48-year-old – who jokingly asked reporters to “please forgive my Spanish” – was born in Madrid and began his playing and coaching careers at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. “Until I went to Liverpool, Madrid was always my city, it’s my home town,” he said, adding: “I’ve always had a high opinion of Atlético, my father was an Atlético supporter.” Benítez, though, will not let the setting get in the way of the purpose of the trip. “We want to win for our fans,” he said. “Getting three points here is all I’m worried about, but if Atlético are playing well and their supporters are right behind them, they will be difficult to beat.”
Reina out to impress his biggest fan
Miguel Reina will look on nervously when his son Pepe takes to the field at the Vicente Calderón for Liverpool FC’s Group D summit meeting with Club Atlético de Madrid.
Feeling at home
Reina Sr was the goalkeeper of the Atlético team that reached the 1974 European Champion Clubs’ Cup final, but although he has seen it all before as a player, watching his son follow in his famous footsteps from the stands is normally too much to bear. “It’s not usual for him to come to games as he gets very nervous and it’s better for his health if he stays at home,” said the Liverpool custodian. “But this place [Atlético] feels like home to him and as it’s not too far from where he lives, it’s great that he is going to be here. He was a goalkeeper so he knows exactly the kind of things I am going through during a game.”
Fighting spirit
Liverpool have become the comeback kings in a season where they remain unbeaten in the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League, yet if dramatic fightbacks are seemingly good for team morale, Reina would rather his side took the initiative early on. “The comebacks have been good for us as they show the character of the team and prove there is a good spirit there,” said the 26-year-old Spanish international. “We still have to improve, particularly in the opening periods, but we have already turned five games around having been behind and maybe that’s the difference between this and last term.”
Spanish connections
Although Liverpool are widely followed in Spain because of their obvious links with the country, Reina expects no favours from the hosts in a contest that could yet determine Group D supremacy. “We know there is a lot of backing for Liverpool in this country as there are several Spanish players playing for us, but Atlético’s fans are obviously going to support their own team,” he said. “This is a big test for us at a big club who are doing the right things in the UEFA Champions League, and if we can win here we’ll have done a huge part of our job. I would settle right now for Atlético and Liverpool to go through to the next round, and that we meet in the final.”
Tough debut
While Reina has become a permanent fixture in the Liverpool side, the same cannot be said of Ignacio Camacho – the 18-year-old Atlético midfielder who is expected to make his UEFA Champions League debut against Rafael Benítez’s men on Wednesday. “I played several games last year and I’m used to being here now,” said the Spanish youth international. “It’s a proud moment for us to face Liverpool. They have fantastic players but you don’t think about those things when you are facing your opponents on the pitch. We’re going to have a real go in this match.”