Benitez: With One Less to Play for, Pressure's on Mourinho

• Times Online, Monday, April 30, 2007 4:01 PM

It's no more than he deserves: now that Chelsea's Premiership hopes have been almost completely derailed, Liverpool's Rafael Benitez has turned up the pressure on Jose Mourinho, whose team travels to Anfield Tuesday to play Rafa's Reds in the second leg of the Champions League semifinals. "It's clear they will be under pressure because they were talking about trophies, trophies, trophies," Benitez said. "Now, maybe, they have one less to go for. The Champions League will be their priority now and they will be more dangerous because they want to win it."

Liverpool goes into the semifinal knowing it needs to score at least two goals to advance outright, following Chelsea's 1-0 home win. It also needs to keep Chelsea from scoring -- one Chelsea goal would require that Liverpool score three to advance. "We approach the second leg with confidence," Benitez said. "We have to be well organized because if we concede one goal then it's going to be really difficult."

Manchester United's incredible 4-2 comeback win away to Everton in the Premiership on Saturday placed the dagger squarely over Mourinho's heart, as the Blues could only manage a 2-2 draw at home to Bolton. If Chelsea loses the Champions League semifinal, then the FA Cup final on May 19 (also against Man United) could be all that Mourinho and company have left to play for, now that the Blues are five points adrift of first place with three games left to play.

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