Liverpool Carry The European Dream

Liverpool carry the European dream



It’s ironic that in a football season that many expected Manchester United and Chelsea to dominate European competition it is derided Liverpool and amazing Fulham that are still in with a chance of silverware abroad.


There will be plenty of people being pretty sniffy at the Europa Cup, the poor man’s UEFA Cup, but I wouldn’t mind betting that many fans wopuld take a bit of European success when all is falling apart around them.


But Liverpool’s 4-1 win over Benfica shouldn’t mask Rafa Benitez’s failure again to live up to the expectation of Anfield fans.


But he has the happy knack of pulling the proverbial rabbit out of the hat when it looks like he’s on his bike – no matter what the contractual cost to the Liverpool board.


I am prepared to bet that manager Benitez will leave in the summer if Real Madrid come calling – or maybe Inter Milan if Jose Mourinho gets his way and talks himself out of a job at the San Siro.


And what of Fulham? Fantastic, marvellous, brilliant – and that’s only the manager Roy Hodgson.


Fulham started their Europa League campaign last July and 19 games later they are in the semi-finals. It is a fairy story that we hope will end in them winning the whole thing – but Hamburg, and possibly Liverpool, stand in their way.