Didier Drogba and Rafael Benitez fire at each other

Didier Drogba and Rafael Benitez fire at each other Today is the Champions League semi-final second leg between Liverpool and Chelsea, and from the looks of it, it will hardly be a friendly game. The mind games before the very important game have begun and the first shot was fired by the Liverpool's manager Rafael Benitez. Rafa accused Chelsea striker Didier Drogba of going down too easily during the matches, while also revealing he has compiled a four-year dossier of the striker's alleged "diving' antics. Chelsea boss Avram Grant has already defended his player, insisting Drogba is not a cheat, waving off Rafa's comments as a mind game top destabilize the Blues before the second leg of the Champions League semi-final. But the Ivory Coast international had the following to say to French daily L'Equipe: "Perhaps he is looking for something to destabilize us before the match. Benitez was a manager I respected a lot. Until now, I found him not only very competent but also classy. But he has really disappointed me here. His words demonstrate a weakness. A top manager would never go so low to attack a player. Maybe he should concentrate on his own team's game and if he wants me to stay on my feet, maybe he should tell his defenders to stop hitting me."

Regardless of the Rafael Benitez' tactics, Liverpool remains the underdog to win the second leg of the Champions League semi-final game toady, listed with odds 13/5 at the British bookmaker Bet365. Meanwhile Chelsea would pay out on 6/5 odds and 21/10 is the payout for a draw in regular time. Didier Drogba is also the favorite to score the first goal in the game with odds 11/2, along with Fernando Torres. Visit the bookie for all betting markets on the Chelsea v Liverpool game, live betting also available.

Published on 04/30/2008