We’ve already told you a little bit about tonight’s referee* and how he booked eight players in the Real Madrid v Juventus clash earlier this season. And how he sent Harry Kewell off for Leeds a few years back. Now Xabi Alonso has sent out a warning to his team-mates to be careful tonight.
Xabi was booked in the first leg and was suspended as a result. Gudjohnsen was the player he "fouled" – and who then decided to taunt the Spaniard. All Xabi’s team-mates rallied round and part of their desire to win tonight is to give Xabi a chance to play in the final.
Unfortunately though Liverpool have still got a few players walking the fabled "disciplinary tightrope". A yellow card for Jamie Carragher, Steve Finnan, Igor Biscan, Dietmar Hamann or Stephen Warnock would mean that players missing the final if Liverpool made it.
Xabi doesn’t want these players to miss out: "It is important they take care. It will be a disaster if one of my team-mates is forced to miss the final." At the same time he hopes they don’t let it stop them playing:
"They must block it out of their mind and not think about it. They must try and play their natural game. They must take some risks because if they are too cautious it will be difficult for the team to win, but they must also be careful at the same time."
* Some things about tonight’s referee.