Chelsea, the club, the players and most of all their manager unfortunately suffer from the biggest inferiority complexes known in the footballing world.
Before the reds had even qualified, Jose Mourinho was stoking up the flames for the clash – insisting the reds would start as favourites. Blah blah blah. Benitez showed his disdain for the Chelsea boss by biting back – claiming that Mourinho only offers the hand of friendship to managers of teams he knows he can beat. It didn’t need to be said – it’s obvious for all to see.
Jose Mourinho’s success at Chelsea has not given him the level of kudos he probably expected. Why is this? Is it the fact that outrageous money has been available to him to purchase, let’s face it, anybody he wanted? I don’t think it is. The way he has conducted himself during these past few years had cast doubt on his achievements. His frustration increases with each passing day. Even his ‘talent’ is seemingly unrecognised by his chairman, and a potential departure this summer will hurt the most important thing of all to him – his ego.
I didn’t want to play Chelsea in the Semi-Final – I much prefered a re-union for Rafa with Valencia. But not because I think we will lose to Chelsea. To be honest – we have played Chelsea twice this season and I thought we outplayed them twice. Certainly at Anfield, and at Stamford Bridge we were unlucky that Didier Drogba was at his magnificent best. The reason I didn’t want to play them was because I’m more than a little bit bored of them.
Their pre-match hysteria will border on the insane. Their manager will be in the papers most days with some thrilling comment which actually only serves to increase hostility between the two clubs sets of supporters. Fat Frank will have a tale to tell, John Terry’s amazing literary geniues will be plain to see as extracts from his autobiography get brought back out.
However, their performance at the Mestella means it will be them so I look forward to the games – the tactical battles between Benitez and Mourinho, but the pre-match media slanging match? Not interested. A complete turn off for the sport in my opinion.
All that matters is that 180 minutes of football will ensue, hopefully another amazing Anfield night and the distinct possibility of a remarkable second final in three years. That’s all that matters. This isn’t the Jose Mourinho show. It’s another chapter in the history of our great football club.