Steven Gerrard is optimistic ahead of Liverpool’s crucial meeting with Real Madrid…
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes that his team have the ability to shock European Champions Real Madrid on Wednesday evening, but admitted that ‘everyone has to be on their game’ if the Reds are to match their success of 2009.
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As the Daily Mail explains, Liverpool beat the Spanish giants 4-0 in their last meeting at Anfield, and Gerrard is well aware that they will need to take another three points after a difficult start to their Champions League campaign.
For Liverpool to defy the odds, no passengers are permitted. “That applies to me personally as well,” Gerrard said, before adding: “Everyone who is picked to play — from the 11 in the starting line-up to the subs on the bench — everyone has to be on their game. We are playing against the best side in Europe and if we have two or three passengers, we get beat convincingly.
“It can become embarrassing against sides like this who are deadly away from home on the counter-attack. We need to be right on it. But when big questions get asked of this team — especially last year when big hitters came to town — we raised our game.
“The fans raised their game, we raised ours and put in some really good performances. I think a (big) performance is due now. QPR wasn’t good enough, everyone knows that, but everyone will respect that when Real Madrid come into town it’s a different game to get up for.
“Every player in the dressing room realises we can’t have any passengers or we will get beat convincingly. I can understand that (many people are predicting a Madrid win). Most places they go, with the current players and the form they are in, they are expected to win most games they play.
“I understand those opinions but shocks are there, upsets happen. Yes, we understand we are the underdogs but with the atmosphere we have here and the players raising their game for a night like this, I think it is possible to cause an upset.”
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