MARSEILLE’S Anfield hero Mathieu Valbuena has warned his team-mates that Liverpool will be far tougher Champions League proposition tomorrow than in their first meeting.
Valbuena’s winning goal when the teams met at Anfield in October means Liverpool must win at the Stade Velodrome to guarantee a place in the knockout stages at the expense of the French team.
Rafael Benitez fielded a slightly under-strength team in the 1-0 defeat, a game in which Valbuena believes Liverpool were caught cold. But the midfielder, speaking after Saturday’s 2-0 win over Monaco, believes the five-time European Cup winners won’t make the same mistake twice.
“On Tuesday we have a very important opportunity for the club,” he said. “We know how talented Liver- pool are – we caught them cold. They are not going to come in the state they were for the first match when they underestimated us a little. They are confident and we will be vigilant and will have to play at an intense pace. We need to recuperate and prepare for this match well.”
Valbuena does not believe his team’s result on Merseyside will have any bearing on the game at the Velodrome.
“The other match is in the past and this is just a game like all the others,” he added. “It’s a great game to be playing in so I will take it in my stride. We will have to be patient and even more motivated than we are in our domestic league. If we approach the match in that frame of mind then we can achieve something but we have to beware of Liverpool. They can beat anyone.”
Valbuena was impressed by Marseille’s show in the 2-0 win over Monaco and said: “We have continued the good form we have shown of late. We are playing well and have been rewarded by this win and especially the three points that we needed. We were very good even if there are things we still need to put right. It all augurs well ahead of this crucial game with Liverpool.”
Meanwhile, George Gillett has made a surprise decision to be at the Stade Velodrome to see for himself whether Liverpool can qualify for the last 16.
Co-owners Gillett and Tom Hicks were not expected on this side of the Atlantic until later in the week for their much-heralded meeting with Anfield manager Benitez, following the fall-out over the new American owners’ transfer policy. Gillett will now have the chance for a low-key chat with Benitez in the south of France.
