Lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice, and footballing miracles of the kind Liverpool enjoyed two years ago in Istanbul, when they came from 3-0 down to beat AC Milan on penalties, are just as rare.
If Liverpool are to survive without another miracle this time, it’s obvious they are going to have to find a way of limiting the influence of Kaka.
To do that, Rafa Benitez must consider setting someone to man-mark the Brazilian – a player to dog the Brazilian’s every step, to snap at his heels, to obstruct and distract him. Someone fast. Man-marking is not pretty, but sometimes, as Italy showed when they set Claudio Gentile on Maradona at the 1982 World Cup, it works.
Benitez is a pragmatist, which is just as well, because Alex Ferguson’s romantic approach to the second leg at the San Siro was exposed when Kaka burst into Manchester United’s area barely a minute after kickoff.
Kaka has 10 goals in the Champions League this season, but take him out of the equation and what firepower do Milan have left? A midfielder, Clarence Seedorf, is probably their next-most likely scorer. Of their forwards, Filippo Inzaghi – great finisher that he was — is getting old, and Alberto Gilardino has rarely proved decisive this season.
Bayern Munich gave the job to fellow Brazilian Lucio in their game at the Allianz Arena last month. The tactic worked up to a point, but the Germans still ended up losing 2-0. Liverpool do not have a player who knows Kaka inside out like Lucio does. So who should Benitez choose for what could be the final’s decisive contest?
James Eve reports on sport for Reuters from Rome
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13 comments so far
Can’t see Liverpool having much luck stopping Kaka unless they earmark someone to kick lumps out of him. Tommy Smith? It’s worked before…
- Posted by Ted MoultI’ve got a feeling he might ask Gerrard to follow Kaka round. Liverpool will be playing for penalties from the start anyway, so sacrificing Gerrard to a defensive role doesn’t really matter:)
- Posted by jonIm sure mascherano would take great pleasure in the task of marking kaka and kickin him all over the pitch. no matter what people say lfc will soon be adding a 6th european cup as we fear NOBODY, how can we after knocking out Barca and the Chelski Millionaires en route to the final.
- Posted by steven whiteCarragher and Mascherano are the best bets for it.
Expect Gerrard to start on the right and Alonso / Mascherano to play in the middle.
If Liverpool play 4-5-1 (quite possible), Garcia / Gonzalez on the left and Pennant on the right, with Gerrard playing behind Crouch up front.
‘6 times’ isn’t so sure as the previous commenter makes it sound though
- Posted by Ahmed BilalSteven’s right. Everyone in the media’s saying Milan are favourites, but Liverpool had a tougher route to the final and we were nerveless all the way. Obviously if Milan get off to a great start it’ll be tough but if it’s close I expect number six, maybe on pens again. Has anyone ever won the european cup on penalties three times?
- Posted by RafaAs for Kaka, Mascherano could do the job, so could Alonso, Gerrard, Sissoko but I don’t think Rafa should stick a man on him. In 1984 in Rome the ‘Kaka’ then was Falcao and Joe Fagan just said to make sure whoever was closest to him should close him down as quickly as possible. Yes, they had Graeme Souness as a defensive midfielder, but not doing a specific job on Falcao and the tactic worked fine. Same again, please.
You can read about it here, by the way… http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0500l iverpoolfc/europeancup/tm_headline=fagan -in-salute-as-liverpool-spot-on&method=f ull&objectid=15547515&siteid=50061-name_ page.html
Actually, having said all that, it would be an interesting sidedhow to see an Argentine following a Brazilian around all night and seeing who came off best.
- Posted by RafaWhichever team wins it, will win it with an inspired performance by someone…
I hope that someone is Gerrard
C’mon Liverpool!
- Posted by Five TimesIt was Liverpool mistakes rather than Milan craft and ingenuity that were responsible for at least two of Milan’s three goals in the final two years ago; although Milan did punish them expertly, something Chelsea didn’t when Liverpool played similarly terrible football in the first half of the first leg.
This year we haven’t got Djimi Traore so hopefully we won’t get similar ‘Bambi on Ice’ type display. I agree with Rafa, I don’t think Liverpool will go man for man, but I do think they will try and play a tight and controlled game. Rafa knows that if we ship early goals this time, Milan will be determined not to let it slip again.
- Posted by JimIf Harry Kewell starts, you know it’s time for Benitez to stop taking the tablets (or doing the yoga…)
- Posted by KevMy predicted Liverpool team: Reina; Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Riise; Gerrard, Sissoko, Mascherano, Zenden; Bellamy, Kuyt. I’d prefer to see Crouch, Pennant, Alonso in but Benitez does strange things sometimes, especially when Liverpool aren’t favourites…
- Posted by LondonI seem to remember that the German press were dismissing Inzaghi because of his age before the quarter-final, he played, a couple of good touches and a goal. United had to put Vidic on him which effectively freed Kaka, Milan might be old but it doesn’t seem to have done them much harm so far.
- Posted by PennGilardino or Inzaghi up front for Milan? Can’t see Liverpool being too fussed either way. Now if Crespo were in the team, that would be another matter…
- Posted by Ted MoultI just know Kewell is going to play. Anyone want a bet?
- Posted by Rafa