One coach reborn his team and the other saw it go downhill endlessly. Roberto Di Matteo has earned respect and appreciation by reaching Chelsea in the final of the oldest football institution but much more for that of the Champions League, while Kenny Dalglish has been challenged and has seen his name "figure" in the favorites for dismissal!
The championship was not this year's τε forte of the two clubs that focused on the other events and did well. The Merseyside Reds have already won the League Cup and are aiming for the Cup, while the London Blues have reached the Wembley final and will travel to Munich on May 19 to claim the "holy grail" of European football.
Di Matteo remembers the goal with which he opened the scoring in his team's victory over Middlesbrough in the 1997 final and became the fastest goal in the old "Wembley", while he also scored in 2000 against Aston Villa in the last matches before the renovation of the stadium! Now, he has the opportunity as a coach to celebrate winning the title, of course aiming for the Champions League trophy later in the month.
Kenny Dalglish believes that today's final will not be a decisive event for the recent history of the two teams, but for this season it is more than crucial. Liverpool also wants to win the Cup to… gild the pill that their friends have taken to calm down from the turmoil… downhill, while Chelsea wants to lay the foundation for future success with this title.
Through the eye of statistics
In 162 matches between them in a period of 105 years, Liverpool counts 73 victories, against 52 of the "blues", while 33 games have ended in a draw. All this, both at the championship level and in the other events. The Merseyside club are looking for their fifth consecutive victory over the Londoners and third consecutive this season, having left "Stamford Bridge" with three points (2-1) in a league match and having prevailed 2-0 in the 5th round. League Cap. As for their history in the FA Cup, they meet for the 10th time, but it is only the first time that they will cross their swords in the grand final. In the previous nine games, Chelsea have five wins and Liverpool four.
Chelsea participates for the 11th time in an English Cup final. The "blues" want to climb to the top of the tournament for the fourth time in the last six years, having celebrated the cup in 2007, 2009 and 2010! In case of winning the trophy, the "blues" will increase their chances of becoming the second team to win the Cup and the Champions League in the same season, after the achievement of Manchester United in 1999!
Di Matteo has won two medals at the oldest football club, being a member of Chelsea in 1997 and 2000. Since taking office two months ago, he has 11 wins, four draws and two defeats in all the events! The defeat (2-0) by Newcastle, on Wednesday night, was the first after 12 matches. Frank Lampard is the top scorer of the "blues" with 16 goals, while Mata has scored four goals in this year's English Cup!
Liverpool participates for the 14th time in the final of the institution, chasing its 8th trophy with which it will rise to the third place of the teams with the most conquests, behind Manchester United (11) and Arsenal (10).
The "reds" in a possible success will lift the English Cup for the first time in the renovated "Wembley". In the league, they have counted six defeats in the last eight games, but have won all 11 cup matches. In fact, success will make them the first team to win the League Cup and Cup for the second time in the same season!
Kenny Dalglish was at the helm of Liverpool in 1986 and 1989, when the club reached the top of the oldest football institution and hopes to do so a third time. Luis Suarez is the team's top scorer with 17 goals, but in the Cup, Andy Carroll leads by three goals.
Racing news
Torres and Drogba are vying for the top spot in Ceci's attack, but Di Matteo has to deal with the absences of Cahill and Louise from the back.
Suarez and Gerrard are available for Liverpool again, except for Lucas and Adam.
Possible compositions:
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Czech - Bosingua, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole - Mikel, Lampard - Ramirez, Mata, Kalou - Drogba
Liverpool (4-4-2): Reina - Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Agger - Henderson, Gerard, Spear, Downing - Suarez, Carroll
Source: sport-fm.gr