Chelsea-Liverpool: Is It Really Over? A Short Analysis

Tonight, Stamford Bridge will be the plateau of some great football as Liverpool and Chelsea will fight for the eight-finals.

Many Liverpool fans regard this match as a do-or-die clash for the Reds, but is it really that important?

Of course, when you talk about financial concerns, then the millions that would invade Anfield's safes are really important to keep a team. Nevertheless, Liverpool is also controlled by millionaires, so that won't be a problem.

Really, when your team has not won the League since the '89-90 season, then winning the Premier League is not second to winning the Champions League by any means.

Winning the Prem is harder than winning the Champions League. Nobody doubts that.

So, is this match that important?

Of course it is, but if Liverpool doesn't make it, even though they play really well tonight, then the season is not over, no way.

Liverpool has to perform tonight. This game is important to show people that Liverpool is a fierce candidate and that they play the best football in the Prem.

Chelsea also has a lot at stake in this competition. After the Moscow disaster, Roman Abramovich is starting to get impatient. Chelsea's owner desperately wants a Champions League title, and everybody on that team knows it.

Chelsea will not rest tonight; no, they will play their hearts out.

Intimidation is what they are seeking.

In the semifinals they'll face Barcelona, which is the best team in the CL, or at least the one that is playing the best football.

They need to show Barcelona that if they're capable of dominating Liverpool in both games, then they're good enough to dominate Pep Guardiola's men.

Chelsea can't afford to trip tonight and squander a 3-1 advantage. They just cannot and probably will not.

This leads us to another question.

Is Liverpool capable of achieving a major upset against the Blues?

Definitely.

When a team beats Real Madrid 5-0, then it can certainly beat Chelsea 3-0. Remember Old Trafford? 1-4 victory for Rafa Benitez' men.

Liverpool is the team that has always pulled off great turnarounds in the CL.

The Istanbul miracle is a great example. After allowing 3-0 goals in something like half hour (please correct me if I'm wrong), Liverpool came back to score three in a row and win the game on penalties. Incredible.

Like Michael Jordan is basketball's clutch player, Liverpool is one of football's clutch teams.

They have the players, the coach, and the will to go through. Even with John Terry and Co. guarding the goal, Liverpool have a lot of solutions that can disrupt any team.

With Steven Gerrard in the middle, anything is possible. He might come up with a brilliant pass or a staggering shot from downtown.

With Fernando Torres up front you can expect anything. The problem is that he does not seem to be able to perform in the CL. Maybe tonight...

Well, we'll just have to wait until tonight. There's a 60-40 chance, but with their comeback background, Liverpool have a great chance.