Carlo Ancelotti Jibe Provides Liverpool With Extra Incentive to Beat Napoli in the Champions League

09 December 2018 20:12

​Carlo Ancelotti has used his experience at Chelsea to mock the famous Anfield effect, claiming that he only has happy memories of Liverpool's ground. However, has he inadvertently provided his opponents with an extra incentive to win?

Liverpool face Napoli in the Champions League on Tuesday and it is a must win game if Jürgen Klopp's side are to stand any chance of progressing. The one plus-point for the Reds is that the game is taking place at Anfield, a venue famous for its thunderous European atmosphere.

However, Ancelotti doesn't remember it in this way. He said: "I have lots of memories of Anfield - my last one is a good one because I won the title there with Chelsea", as reported by the Express.

Manchester United v Chelsea - Premier League

He continued: "It's going to be a tough, exciting match. We'll go there and play our usual game. It would be counter-productive to try and park the bus. Besides anything else, that's not how we play.


"We'll try to boss the game and I'm sure the lads are ready and fired up to give their absolute all. We'll go there with an attacking mindset."

Losing to Chelsea at Anfield to give the Blues the title in the 2009/10 season will not be a fond memory for the Liverpool fans or players, and Ancelotti's reminder will not go down well. In fact, it is likely to inspire both the fans and the players to work even harder on Tuesday night to put things right.

Liverpool FC v Everton FC - Premier League

However, there is a good chance that Napoli will be the fresher of the two sides having rested their key players against Frosinone on Saturday. 

On the matter, Ancelotti said: "I rotated the squad not just to rest a few legs but also to give playing time to some of the other lads.


"I need everyone and this is the way forward. The lads who came into the team performed well. They all did good things.

"This game was a potential banana skin and we cleared it well."

Comparatively, in Liverpool's 4-0 victory over Bournemouth, Jürgen Klopp named a full-strength side and will be hoping his players recover in time for the all-important Champions League clash.

Source: 90min