Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard has called on his troops for concentration before the anticipated UEFA Champions League round of 16 second-leg clash away to Liverpool on Tuesday. The Dutchman's side has suffered a major blow in the Spanish Primera Liga title race, losing to rivals Sevilla 2-1 on Saturday, a result that put things in perspective for Barcelona. Yet, Rijkaard is hopeful the local defeat will serve as a wake up call for his players. "I hope it is a lesson we can all learn from going into Tuesday's game as Liverpool will fight like Sevilla," Rijkaard was quoted as saying by Sky Sports on Monday. Barcelona need to win by at least two goals on Tuesday, a job that Rijkaard knows won't be easy.
"There's no time to think too much. We know what to expect against Liverpool. It's the best time to face up to the Champions League game," he added. Meanwhile, Barcelona's sporting director Txiki Beguiristain has told Spanish daily Marca about his faith in the players' ability. "I see we are capable of scoring two goals there in a short time," he said. The Basque director didn't seem too much cautious of the atmosphere at Anfield. "They have lost many matches there, they lost to Manchester United and Arsenal, why won't they lose to Barcelona then?" he questioned.
