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Rush: Reds won't be fazed by cauldron

Liverpool Echo

11th Dec 2007 - Media Watch

LIVERPOOL'S vast European experience will be crucial in tonight's Champions League decider against Marseille.

There will be a cracking atmosphere in the Stade Velodrome but it will be nothing new to Rafa Benitez's side.

They have played so many massive games in recent years. They know what to expect and won't be fazed by the challenge.

When you are playing for Liverpool the pressure is always there because you are expected to win every game.

On the road to Athens last season the Reds won away at the likes of Bordeaux, Barcelona and PSV Eindhoven and I'm very confident they will get the right result tonight.

I know a point could be enough but I can't honestly see Besiktas winning in Porto.

It's win or bust and I'm actually happy about the fact that the Reds have to go there looking for the three points.

When you only need a draw it's easy to fall into the trap of being too defensive.

The Reds have got to go into the game with a positive attitude but they also have to be patient.

If it's goalless at half-time that's not a disaster. It will be a case of putting the pressure on and gradually wearing them down.

If someone had said after the defeat in Besiktas in October that Liverpool would go to Marseille knowing victory would put them through to the knockout stages then we would have taken that.

I know Marseille won at Anfield earlier in the season but they benefited from a very poor Liverpool performance that night. They also had a new manager who they were desperate to impress.

Marseille are no great shakes and I'm sure we will see a very different game tonight.

It will be interesting to see how the French side approach it because they would obviously like to take a point.

Teams often think they have done the hard work following a good result on their travels but then come unstuck on their own ground.

I remember in the European Cup in 1984 we drew 0-0 at home to Atletico Bilbao but won 1-0 there.

If the Reds don't get through then there will obviously be repercussions because the financial rewards at stake in the Champions League are so great. But I don’t believe it will come to that.

Tagged: echo , marseille , rush