Weekend Football

12 December 2008

by Jerrad Peters

Benitez: Liverpool are not a big club

And they won't win the title, either

 

Jaws dropped on Merseyside, Friday, when Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez proclaimed his side to be up against it in the battle for this season's English Premier League title.

"For us to win the league we need Chelsea, Man United and Arsenal to mess up their season," he said, adding, "It is very rare that three teams all mess up."

The 48-year-old Spaniard, who currently has his side atop the charts with 37 points from 16 rounds, made the comments ahead of Saturday's match at home to Hull City.

He continued, "So there's no point waiting for our direct adversaries to slip up because it won't happen. They all have a lot greater financial means than us."

Most astounding, however, was Benitez' admission that Liverpool are not a big club. The remarks will surely infuriate co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr., both of whom are trying desperately to build up the club's value ahead of a likely sale in January.

"For me," he said, "Valencia and Liverpool are similar. For them to win, the bigger clubs have to do badly."

Benitez, it's worth noting, is out of contract at the end of the season and has yet to sign a new deal at Anfield. A former coach in the Real Madrid youth system, he is thought to be keen on a return to the Bernabeu. The feeling is mutual. When Madrid inked Juande Ramos to a six-month pact on Wednesday, it was widely speculated that Benitez will be installed as the Spanish champions' permanent manager in the summer.

 

Apertura goes down to the wire

 

The final round of matches in this year's Apertura will be contested over the weekend. Separated by just two points, each of San Lorenzo, Tigre, Boca Juniors and Lanus remains in contention for the Argentinean title.

Boca and Tigre have to be slightly favored. After an entertaining 3-2 loss at home to Velez Sarsfield on November 16, Boca are unbeaten in their last three matches and will face 10^th-place Colon de Santa Fe on Sunday. Tigre, meanwhile, are coming off back-to-back wins over River Plate and Rosario Central and will host 12^th-seeded Banfield on Sunday.

San Lorenzo—currently atop the standings by virtue of a slightly superior goal differential—will visit Argentinos Juniors while fourth-place Lanus host San Martin at the Jose Amalfitani on Sunday. San Lorenzo were the pace-setters for much of the season before sputtering in November, winning just one of four matches.

Heading into the weekend, San Lorenzo, Tigre and Boca Juniors are level on 36 points while Lanus are two points in the rear. If a tie remains at the top of the table on Sunday evening, a play-off or mini-league will determine the final ranking.