Liverpool vs. Chelsea: Why the 2 Teams Hate Each Other

Today, a great rivalry will resume for the second time in a week between two of English football's "Big Four" teams.

After slugging it out in an enthralling FA Cup Final only three days ago, Chelsea and Liverpool are back at it again in a testy matchup with a truly unique atmosphere after the drama of the weekend.

Loyal Liverpool fans might feel that they were hard done by the officials' decision that Andy Carroll's header late in the game did not cross the line, and the Reds, who technically have nothing to play for at this point, will want to exact some revenge for their dispiriting loss.

But the two teams' hatred goes back much farther and is much more complex than a couple recent events.

Let's have a look at what makes this tie so intriguing.

Lampard vs. Gerrard

For the last decade, pundits have debated over which one of England's two greatest midfielders is better than the other, and there have been no clear answers.

Both Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard have fiery personalities and natural facilities for leadership. They define the clubs they play for and are seemingly unable to play effectively with each other when teamed up for their country.

Thus, when Lampard and Gerrard face off against each other (and they almost ended up playing together at club level), the intense scrutiny of their play and the two combatants' fierce desire to outperform the other permeates the match.

If you're not a Chelsea or Liverpool supporter, you probably don't like either player, but they can definitely brew up some thrilling football when they go head-to-head.

Rafa Benitez vs. Jose Mourinho

This managerial rivalry no longer exists, but it helped to increase the intensity of this fixture when the storms of competition were just starting to brew.

Both imports arrived at their respective clubs in the summer of 2004 and met with considerable success upon arrival—though in different competitions.

Benitez frustrated Mourinho in club competitions, taking two of the three matchups, but Chelsea have obviously done much better in the league than Liverpool during both managers' tenures.

The Portuguese's confidence (or arrogance, depending on which team you support) was beautifully displayed when, after equalizing late in the 2005 FA Cup Final, he strutted down the touchline and shushed the crushed Liverpool supporters, including their distraught manager.

Jealousy

Both Chelsea and Liverpool have won trophies in recent years, but, ironically, each has earned what the other so desperately desires.

The only monkey on Steven Gerrard's back that the midfielder has yet to shake is that, in all his illustrious career, he has never won the Premier League. Chelsea have won the domestic title three times since 2005.

And, although he might finally get his wish on the 19th, Roman Abramovich is known to covet the Champions League trophy, and it must aggravate him to no end that a supposedly lesser team in Liverpool has won it recently, while his side cannot seem to get over the final hurdle.

Fernando Torres

Torres was once a beloved son at Anfield, but the £50 million man has purged all goodwill that he once had in Liverpool.

A club certainly cannot endear itself to another set of supporters by acting as if they are swooping in to save their rival's prized asset from a stagnant team.

And, if Fernando Torres wished to burn all bridges upon leaving Merseyside, he must have been aware that, not only would he be heaping pressure on himself, but every Scouser who has a television would revel in every misstep he made.

Throughout more than a year of disappointment, Liverpool has taken the opportunity to mock Chelsea for a signing gone terribly wrong. While Torres sat on the bench during the FA Cup Final, his replacement, Andy Carroll, almost brought his side back into the match by himself.

The Ghost Goal

Seven years later, Jose Mourinho is still whingeing about Luis Garcia's disputed goal in the 2005 Champions League semifinal.

After a 0-0 draw in the first leg, Garcia drilled a shot in the fourth minute of the second leg which at first appeared to have not crossed the entire line, but was awarded to Liverpool anyway. That match finished 1-0, and the rest is history.

Mourinho recently discussed his Champions League struggles, and said:

"

Overall, I have not been lucky in semi-finals of the Champions League, I lost one with Chelsea due to a goal that wasn't a goal; the ball didn't cross the line.

"

Chelsea might feel as if they have gotten some measure of payback, though, as Andy Carroll's disputed goal last weekend was (probably correctly) ruled to have been saved by Petr Cech.

32 Meetings in Eight Seasons

In rivalries, frequency often determines ferocity, and Liverpool and Chelsea could have met on more occasions than they have over the past eight seasons.

Their second meeting in three days this week will mark the 32nd time the two teams have faced off against each other since the dawn of the Roman Abramovich era, giving each player the opportunity to develop an intimate relationship with their opposition.

Given that much time to face each other, teams will naturally develop a greater sense of competition than if they had met half as much during the same time period, especially since both sides are prestigious and successful.

It is appropriate, then, that Chelsea and Liverpool would resume their rivalry for the last times this season twice in a period of three days. Let's see if Liverpool can restore parity to what has been a very balanced relationship.

Follow @charliemelman