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Reds aim to defy odds

Author: Brandon Barker
Date: 13/04/2009

Liverpool will have to call on the spirit of Istanbul and upset the sportsbooks if they are to keep their dream of a sixth European crown alive.

Rafael Benitez's side head to Chelsea on Tuesday night knowing they need to score at least three times if they are to reach the last four of this season's Champions League.

Last week's 3-1 quarter-final first leg defeat at Anfield has left them with a mountain to climb at Stamford Bridge, but the Merseysiders do have previous in terms of European fightbacks.

The Reds famously overturned a 3-0 half-time deficit to win the 2005 Champions League Final against AC Milan in Istanbul.

They have also been given further hope of upsetting Chelsea on their own patch following the weekend's Premier League results.

Liverpool were 4-0 winners over Blackburn Rovers following a brace from red-hot Spanish striker Fernando Torres. They have now scored 19 goals in their last six games in all competitions.

Additional incentive has been provided by Bolton Wanderers, whose dramatic 4-3 defeat at Chelsea indicated that a usually formidable Blues defence can be breached.

Guus Hiddink's side led 4-0 and appeared to be coasting towards the three points which would keep their Premier League dreams alive, but a late fightback from the visitors resulted in three goals in eight minutes and almost led to egg on the faces of the Chelsea players.

However, history suggests Chelsea will ultimately progress as they have conceded just two goals in total during Liverpool's last four European visits to Stamford Bridge.

What's more, only four times in the history of their domestic league encounters have the Merseyside outfit managed to secure the result they will need to progress on Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, Chelsea's heaviest European defeat at home was a 2-0 reverse against Besiktas in the 2003 Champions League.

But if the outcome of the tie in London is already believed to be clear, then the meeting between Barcelona and Bayern Munich is surely little more than a formality.

The Spanish champions lead 4-0 following last week's first-leg rout at the Camp Nou and there is surely no way back for the German side now.

Bayern coach Jurgen Klinsmann has vowed to go for the jugular at the Allianz Arena and at least bow out with a bang, but no team has ever overturned such a heavy first-leg deficit in the history of the competition.

Klinsmann also has the added concern that Barcelona are one of the most potent counter-attacking teams in Europe and they could run riot should Bayern throw caution to the wind.

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