Pool eager to join Euro greats: Wijnaldum
LIVERPOOL midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum admits the dream of joining the ranks of Champions League “legends” is driving the players to succeed in Kiev later this month.
Despite winning the competition five times, Liverpool have been starved of success among Europe’s elite since their last victory in Istanbul 13 years ago.
In Ukraine they face Real Madrid, the defending champions who have won three of the last four finals to extend the club’s all-time record to 12 victories — five more than anyone else.
Wijnaldum believes Liverpool’s players can write their
On a mission: Georginio Wijnaldum
own little piece of history.
“You can put yourself there with legends that won the Champions League. That’s what everymanager one wants,” said the Holland international. “That is what makes it really exciting for us, because we have the opportunity to win a big trophy with a massive club waiting for years for a trophy.
“We are lucky that we can give them one if we win.
“Two years ago it was the Europa League final (which Liverpool lost to Sevilla) but the Champions League final is the highest you can play for a club so everyone will look forward to it.”
Since lifting the Champions League in 2005, Liverpool have won just one trophy, the 2012 League Cup.
“The supporters support the club for many years. It’s a big chance for them to win a big trophy, the first in years, so this is important,” he added. ALEX McLeish insists no favours were handed out when he named an inexperienced Scotland squad for the trip to face Peru and Mexico in late May/early June.
The Scotland manager has picked seven uncapped players — including Hibernian leftback Lewis Stevenson, new Celtic winger Lewis Morgan, Hearts defender John Souttar and Aberdeen midfielder Graeme Shinnie — and only four players who are into double figures of caps.
Celtic players Craig Gordon, Callum McGregor, James Forrest, Leigh Griffiths and Kieran Tierney are left out, although Stuart Armstrong and Jack Hendry are
Burnout fears: Scots’ Alex McLeish
included along with Ryan Christie, whose loan spell at Aberdeen has ended.
McLeish held talks with Celtic Brendan Rodgers over his plans for a trip organised by axed chief executive Stewart Regan before the manager was appointed. But decisions on who to rest were taken after detailed statistical analysis by the SFA’s performance staff.
“We took every individual on their own merits,” McLeish said. “It wasn’t a case of doing anybody any favours, it was more about what we felt about the future as well. I have seen in the past young players suffer burnout later on in their careers.
“I had a chat with Brendan because obviously there’s a lot of Celtic players in the squad, and one or two of them will definitely be in better condition for the Euro qualifiers. We have just used a bit of common sense.”