Andy Hunter
Thursday March 13, 2008
The Guardian
The slur could only go unanswered for so long and, with Internazionale added to Liverpool's list of routine European conquests, Steven Gerrard yesterday rebuked Rio Ferdinand's theory that Champions League success is no longer the mark of a great team.
Gerrard chose not to mention his Manchester United rival by name as he basked in Liverpool's victory at San Siro but believes Ferdinand displayed a deliberate lack of respect with the recent declaration that the Premier League title is a more accurate barometer of quality than the Champions League.
The Liverpool captain has not disguised his anguish at the club's domestic performance but insists two Champions League final appearances in three years and the prospect of a fourth in Moscow, with Inter, Juventus, Milan and Barcelona all vanquished en route, has earned Rafael Benítez's team the right to wider European recognition. With Liverpool having won more European Cups than the seven teams left in the competition combined, appearing in as many finals under Benítez as United have experienced in their history, Gerrard had Ferdinand in mind as he demanded more respect for Liverpool.
"People have said that teams have won the Champions League that are not great, but I think we can let our record answer that," he said. "We have been to the final twice in three years and we have won some big games in some important stadiums across Europe, and we have produced the performances of a great European side.
"In Europe we are a force. We do not fear anyone. We have got great experience in Europe, we have been there and we know what it is all about. I don't want to say who we want to play and who we don't but I think we can let the rest worry about us, because we have got the pedigree in this competition."
Gerrard and Ferdinand may beg to differ over the qualities required to win the Champions League but few would dispute that Liverpool, for all their shortcomings in the Premier League, are a team to avoid in tomorrow's quarter-final draw. Victory in Milan was their sixth in all competitions since the FA Cup defeat by Barnsley and with Fernando Torres in exhilarating form, Gerrard believes Liverpool have hit their stride at an opportune time.
He added: "We have got momentum, we have, there is no doubt about that, and it could be important. We are playing very, very well now. We cannot get carried away because there are some monster teams left in it, but we are playing a lot better now and we know we have got a great chance in the last eight. We know what it's like to get to the Champions League final."
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