Birth Date: 3/13/1980
Birth Place: Barreto, Brazil
Nationality: Brazil
Height: 182
Weight: 71
Position: Defender
Rafael Rumours and Transfers
24 10 2007
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez sends his Reds out against Besiktas tonight in Istanbul admitting that they dare not lose.
Liverpool, who will again be without injury victim Fernando Torres, have a solitary point in Champions League Group A and cannot afford to slip further behind group leaders Marseille and Porto, who meet in France tonight.
Another slip-up would leave them in danger of not making it out of Group A to the knockout stages.
And after two finals in the past three seasons – plus a summer spending spree on new players worth some £50million – that could have serious repercussions for Benitez.
Following an unconvincing draw in Porto and a home defeat by Marseille, it is almost a case of win or bust.
Benitez said: 'This game is really important. We cannot afford to lose because if we do it will be really difficult to qualify. So we need to win. A draw? Then a lot would depend on the other results in our group. It's clear we need three points but the players don't need me to tell them how important this is. The real problem was against Marseille and in a short competition like the group stages it means we have to win again. But it's just two games. We made a big mistake in one, that's all, and we know we must win to put things right. Porto, who are the best team in Portugal, made it very difficult for us in the first 15 minutes. But to get out of that one with a draw with 10 men was really good.'
One of Liverpool's problems has been not making the most of the chances they create. Another is, when they do take the lead, not killing the game off.
Benitez admitted: 'We need to be more clinical. It was the same against Tottenham [which finished 2-2 thanks to an injury-time equaliser from Fernando Torres]. If we had taken those chances people would be saying what a fantastic season we're having.'
Torres. the £26.5million signing from Atletico Madrid, has not made the trip because he has not fully recovered from a thigh strain.
Benitez said: 'I spoke to the doctor and it was impossible for him to play – but hopefully he will be OK for the weekend.'
Despite the air of anxiety around the Liverpool camp, thy are fourth in the Premier League, beat rivals Everto in the Merseyside derby and have yet to lose in a domestic match. Moreover, a win in Istanbul tonight would put them right back in the frame to reach the knockout stages.
Benitez avoided the issue of whether he is under more pressure because of the heavy bank-rolling of his team-building by Amercan co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks.
But he admitted: 'As a manager I can only think about the football. You think about the bigger picture afterwards. When I arrived they said it was difficult to finish in the top four and qualify for the group stages every year. But in the last three years we have. Now people think we must do it always. When the draw was made people said we were in an easy group and I said we weren't. But it's important for us to be in the last 16. It's important for the confidence and experience of our players.'
22 10 2007
Barcelona are facing an injury crisis and defender Eric Abidal admits they will need to somehow find a way to cope with the "physical" challenge posed by Rangers.
But Abidal insists the answer is not for manager Frank Rijkaard to push him forward to bulk up the midfield.
Left-back Abidal is fearing another costly defeat, having already been beaten twice on international duty by Scotland in the past 13 months.
"I have played against Scotland for France and we have lost twice," said the 28-year-old former Lyon player.
"They play very aggressive football, it is much more physical."
Barcelona have ruled playmaker Deco out for five weeks, striker Samuel Eto'o is still sidelined, and Yaya Toure, Gianluca Zambrotta, Edmilson and Rafael Marquez will also miss Tuesday's Champions League Group E clash.
They could be light in midfield, in terms of a ball-winner, but Abidal said: "I am a defender, not a midfielder. I am not used to playing in midfield. To be honest, it's not a position I fancy very much. There are players that can cover that area and it is up to the boss to decide which of us will have to do that."
Deco admits Barcelona's players, who visited Scotland on a pre-season tour and played matches against Dundee United and Hearts, may have pushed themselves too hard and paid the price.
He said on www.fcbarcelona.com: "I am no doctor but when we put in a lot of effort and play lots of games you reach the point where your body has hit its limit and that's when injuries occur."
