Pro Eleven Headline News
FA Cup revenge is Everton's focus, says manager Benitez
Rafael Benitez expects Liverpool to shrug off the dual distractions of takeover talk and Steven Gerrard's court appearance by gaining revenge over Everton in the FA Cup on Sunday.
After plotting a serene course through the first half of the season, Benitez has endured a turbulent period that threatens to blow his plans for domestic and European glory to pieces.
Benitez's astonishing rant at Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson earlier this month hinted that the Liverpool manager was starting to feel the strain of challenging for the title.
The Spaniard followed that outburst by admitting he had rejected Liverpool's offer of a new contract.
Then George Gillett and Tom Hicks, the Premier League side's American owners, made it clear they are ready to start a potentially distracting auction after the Kuwait-based Al-Kharafi family reportedly expressed interest in launching a 500 million pounds takeover.
As if that wasn't bad enough, Gerrard's alleged involvement in a nightclub brawl resulted in a high profile court appearance on Friday at which the Liverpool captain pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and affray.
Although Benitez says otherwise, it is surely no coincidence that Liverpool's results have suffered in recent weeks.
The frustration of a draw at Stoke followed Tim Cahill's late equaliser for Everton in last Monday's Merseyside derby has left Liverpool licking their wounds behind new Premier League leaders United.
But at the end of another emotionally draining week, Liverpool have a chance to get back on track by beating their local rivals at Anfield.
"We are in a very good position in all the competitions and really focused on football. We know things can happen around the club. But at the end we have to come to work, to train and to be ready for the next game," Benitez said.
"The atmosphere inside the training ground is fine. We do not have problems here. The players are working together, and there are no problems between them.
"All I can say is that we know we must win. We must progress in all the competitions. It will be difficult against Everton, so we must focus on only what happens on the pitch."
Gerrard trained on Friday after his court date and is expected to play some part in the first FA Cup Merseyside derby for 18 years.
Benitez will still make several changes however as he rests players ahead of Wednesday's league trip to Wigan and goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri could start along with Andrea Dossena, Ryan Babel, Yossi Benayoun and Lucas.
"Steven is in the right frame of mind. He scored a few goals in five-a-side and he is very positive and okay for the match," Benitez said.
"We were disappointed not to win against Everton on Monday; we were leading until the final minutes and we must not allow ourselves to make the sort of mistakes we made in those last minutes.
"We feel we have the quality to win this second match with Everton. We want to get to the final again - the experience we had winning the Cup in 2006 was wonderful."
Everton boss David Moyes would rather not have faced Liverpool again so soon after Monday's draw.
"I don't think either of the clubs would have wanted the draw when it came out but we are looking forward to it," he said. "Obviously when it is a derby it adds even more spice to it.
"We think we can play better than we did in midweek. I don't think it (Cahill's late goal) gives any advantage. It is a different game completely for both of us.
"I think Rafa will have a big decision because he has a lot of players to pick from and when you have lots of players it causes you problems because you have to give them games." AFP
Marchisio pulls Juventus level with Inter
Juventus went level on points with Inter Milan at the top of Serie A for the first time this season as a Claudio Marchisio goal gave them a hard-fought 1-0 win over Fiorentina at Turin's Olympic Stadium on Saturday.
Both Juventus and Inter Milan have 43 points, but Jose Mourinho's defending champions can reclaim top spot outright if they avoid defeat at home to Sampdoria on Sunday.
For Fiorentina it was a third straight Serie A defeat which leaves them in danger of losing touch in the race for a top four finish and Champions League football next season.
Juventus cach Claudio Ranieri said Fiorentina's recent troubles had fired them up.
"We knew Fiorentina were going through a tough time and had already won here last season, so they were fired up and we knew they would give us real problems," he said.
"We struggled right to the end and Fiorentina play very good football. It's fair to say the only thing they were missing was a goal."
Fiorentina had an early penalty appeal on 10 minutes as Stevan Jovetic weaved his way into the box but he went down far too easily under contact from Olof Mellberg when he seemed to have created a shooting opportunity.
Juventus then went ahead on 21 minutes after a delightful pass from Alessandro Del Piero found Marchisio's clever angled run and the midfielder dinked the ball over the onrushing Sebastien Frey.
Fiorentina were unlucky not to find themselves level.
Manuel Pasquale sent an inviting cross in from the left and the diminutive Mario Santana beat centre-back Nicola Legrottaglie in the air only to see his header crash back off the bar.
Juve failed to clear their lines and Riccardo Montolivo shot from distance, an effort that Gianluigi Buffon failed to hold, allowing Alberto Gilardino to slot home the rebound.
But the linesman wrongly flagged for offside as TV replays showed Marco Marchionni was playing Gilardino onside at the time of Montolivo's shot.
That decision left Fiorentina president Andrea Delle Valle fuming.
"I'm offended by what I saw," he moaned. "There's a certain behaviour that is apparent during our matches. I'm disgusted by what I saw. These things need explaining."
Marchionni should have sent Juventus into the break 2-0 ahead when he had a chance late on in the half but he dithered, shot straight at Frey and then hit the keeper again when the rebound fell to him.
In the last minute of the half Fiorentina came close again but Alessandro Gamberini and Per Kroldrup got in each other's way diving for the ball at the back post.
On the hour mark, Juventus stretched Fiorentina down the right and Marchionni pulled the ball back for Zdenek Grygera to shoot but Frey made a spectacular one-handed save.
Juventus were enjoying success down their right and Marchionni teed up Del Piero on 69 minutes but the veteran forward skied his effort.
The hosts were almost made to pay two minutes later but Buffon made a miraculous reaction save with his leg from a close-range Gilardino flick.
In the day's other game, Chievo won the basement battle 1-0 at Reggina. The two sides started the day level on 13 points at the bottom but Chievo won their second straight match to boost their survival hopes.
Vicenzo Italiano scored the winner three minutes into injury time at the end of the game but Reggina had played with 10 men since the 41st minute when Carlos Carmona was dismissed. AFP
Barcelona Named Best Club Team Of Last 18 Years By IFFHS
The International Federation of Football History and Statistics has today named Barcelona as the best club side of the past 18 years.
The IFFHS compiled the statistics from 1991, using the position each team finishes in the annual world rankings as a scoring system, and the Catalan side are 79 points clear of second place Manchester United.
Behind Manchester United come two Italian giants in the form of Juventus and AC Milan, and then down in fifth are Real Madrid.
During the time period taken by the IFFHS, Barcelona have won the Champions League on two occasions, whilst they have won La Liga eight times.
Manchester United on the other hand have also won the Champions League twice, but they have picked up ten Premier League titles.
Below Real Madrid there is quite a gap down to the next Spanish side, with Valencia sitting in joint 17th with Sao Paulo.
England and Italy meanwhile both have four teams in the top 15 of the list.
Official IFFHS Rankings:
1. Barcelona (SPN) 757
2. Manchester United (ENG) 678
3. Juventus FC (ITA) 621
4. Milan AC (ITA) 611
5. Real Madrid (SPN) 605
6. Internazionale Milano (ITA) 567
7. Bayern Munich (GER) 563
8. Arsenal (ENG) 550
9. River Plate (ARG) 503
10. Chelsea (ENG) 442
11. Liverpool (ENG) 435
12. Porto (POR) 425
13. Boca Juniors (ARG) 420
14. AS Roma (ITA) 405
15. AFC Ajax Amsterdam (HOL) 400
16. Parma (ITA) 373
17. São Paulo (BRA) 367
Valencia (SPN) 367
19. Glasgow Rangers (SCO) 364
20. SS Lazio Roma (ITA) 342
