Football news!

October 8, 2007

Count Liverpool FC winger Mark Gonzalez as one of those who knows that the Red’s UEFA Champion’s League semifinal match against Chelsea won’t be an easy one. When Liverpool rolled over PSV in its quarterfinal match, they saved some players on the bench in preparation for a tough game. Those associated with Liverpool know that rival Chelsea will pose the toughest test yet on the road to a second title in three years.

With a roster that is composed of players from 15 nations, Liverpool has quite a bit of international flavor on its side. Its biggest star, however, is a home grown hero with ties to Chelsea. Following Liverpool’s second leg victory over PSV Eindhoven, lanky striker Peter Crouch was confronted with questions from reporters who wondered about his connection with the Red’s next opponent.

Liverpool was able to knock off Chelsea by a score of 2-0 in a January Premiership match, but Crouch and the rest know that the early winter result is no indication of what might happen in this match. Chelsea, the English champion, is not only a capable opponent, but the only thing standing in the way of Liverpool’s second trip to the UEFA Champion’s League finals in the last three seasons.

Regardless of the result of Liverpool’s semifinal match against Chelsea, the world will once again be served with a notice that the English Premier League is the preeminent force in international soccer. Counting the powerfully talented squad from Manchester United, the league has provided the Champion’s League with three of its four semifinal teams.

Mark Gonzalez, a veteran of both the English Premier League and the top leagues in Spain, is well aware of the English soccer power that seems to be taking center stage. “I’ve always stated that the English Premier League is the best league in the world,” the player said. “With Manchester United FC performing well and Chelsea in the semifinals, it’s pretty clear where the best soccer is played.”

When he takes the field against that Chelsea squad, Gonzalez hopes to walk away with his first trip to the Champion’s League final and a chance at Liverpool’s eighth overall title. Though it’s not far away, the player knows what a staunch challenge stands ahead.

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