RAFA"COULDN'T ASK FOR MORE"
Rafael Benitez revealed his pride in his Liverpool heroes after they reached their second Champions League Final in three seasons.
The Spanish chief saw his side win 1-0 on the night, and then 4-1 on penalties after a nerve-shredding period of extra-time.
Benitez said: 'I could not have asked for more. It was very hard, they have some great attacking players and it was hard to keep them under control and keep a clean sheet.
'But we did that, we played with great passion and skill, and our fans helped us through.'
But as Benitez contemplates an Athens final on May 23 against either Manchester United or AC Milan - the team Liverpool beat in Istanbul in 2005 - he was not prepared to rise to any debate with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho.
The Liverpool manager said: 'I would just prefer to enjoy this moment, to enjoy the thought of the final again and just praise my team without saying anything else.
'I will just enjoy this, the atmosphere was fantastic. But I repeat, Chelsea were pushing hard and we had to work really hard in defence.
'(Didier) Drogba was difficult, but they have other very good attackers, we had to work very hard to control them.'
Benitez also hailed goalkeeper Jose Reina, who made two crucial saves in the shoot-out, bringing back memories of his display in the penalty decider in last season's FA Cup final against West Ham.
Benitez said: 'Pepe was a specialist penalty stopper in Spain, and he has done the same thing here, he practices and is very hard to beat.
'But I felt we knew how to beat Chelsea, we played with passion and I am really proud of my players.'
Mourinho, who has now lost three European semi-finals in four seasons, and virtually conceded the Premier League title at the weekend, struggled for the right words.
He said: 'As far as my management career goes, that was the most heartbreaking night.
'To lose a Champions League semi-final on penalties is hard to take.
'I do not think we were bothered by the atmosphere, it was a great atmosphere with their fans supporting their team.
'It did not affect us, we were the team in blue always trying to win. They had a short period in the first half in control, but after that I felt it was always Chelsea in control and trying to win the game.
'For 90 minutes, extra-time, we always tried to win. Free-kicks, we had every strong player into the box we showed we wanted to win the game so we had no problems with the atmosphere.
'I felt Chelsea could always win. Penalties, penalties, some people say they are luck, some that their 'keeper has an appetite for them or that some players do not take them well.
'They scored four, us one. That was the story of the game and they were stronger in that part of the game and are in the final.'
He added: 'We will keep going. There is always a next chance, next season is another season. I feel we deserve to be in a final, three times now in four seasons we get this close, we deserve a final.
'But in five, 10, 20 years, nobody will remember that Chelsea were the better team in the first-leg of the semi-final and I feel deserved to win the second.
'Nobody will remember that Chelsea were the best team in extra-time. That is the history of football.'
*snipped from soccernet.com*
The Spanish chief saw his side win 1-0 on the night, and then 4-1 on penalties after a nerve-shredding period of extra-time.
Benitez said: 'I could not have asked for more. It was very hard, they have some great attacking players and it was hard to keep them under control and keep a clean sheet.
'But we did that, we played with great passion and skill, and our fans helped us through.'
But as Benitez contemplates an Athens final on May 23 against either Manchester United or AC Milan - the team Liverpool beat in Istanbul in 2005 - he was not prepared to rise to any debate with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho.
The Liverpool manager said: 'I would just prefer to enjoy this moment, to enjoy the thought of the final again and just praise my team without saying anything else.
'I will just enjoy this, the atmosphere was fantastic. But I repeat, Chelsea were pushing hard and we had to work really hard in defence.
'(Didier) Drogba was difficult, but they have other very good attackers, we had to work very hard to control them.'
Benitez also hailed goalkeeper Jose Reina, who made two crucial saves in the shoot-out, bringing back memories of his display in the penalty decider in last season's FA Cup final against West Ham.
Benitez said: 'Pepe was a specialist penalty stopper in Spain, and he has done the same thing here, he practices and is very hard to beat.
'But I felt we knew how to beat Chelsea, we played with passion and I am really proud of my players.'
Mourinho, who has now lost three European semi-finals in four seasons, and virtually conceded the Premier League title at the weekend, struggled for the right words.
He said: 'As far as my management career goes, that was the most heartbreaking night.
'To lose a Champions League semi-final on penalties is hard to take.
'I do not think we were bothered by the atmosphere, it was a great atmosphere with their fans supporting their team.
'It did not affect us, we were the team in blue always trying to win. They had a short period in the first half in control, but after that I felt it was always Chelsea in control and trying to win the game.
'For 90 minutes, extra-time, we always tried to win. Free-kicks, we had every strong player into the box we showed we wanted to win the game so we had no problems with the atmosphere.
'I felt Chelsea could always win. Penalties, penalties, some people say they are luck, some that their 'keeper has an appetite for them or that some players do not take them well.
'They scored four, us one. That was the story of the game and they were stronger in that part of the game and are in the final.'
He added: 'We will keep going. There is always a next chance, next season is another season. I feel we deserve to be in a final, three times now in four seasons we get this close, we deserve a final.
'But in five, 10, 20 years, nobody will remember that Chelsea were the better team in the first-leg of the semi-final and I feel deserved to win the second.
'Nobody will remember that Chelsea were the best team in extra-time. That is the history of football.'
*snipped from soccernet.com*
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