‘This LFC Side is Better than in Istanbul!’ | Jamie Carragher on Liverpool v Real Madrid

Earlier this week we welcomed Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher into our studio! Jamie discussed a variety of subjects with Chris and Paul including his thoughts on this current Liverpool team.Jamie openly and honestly admitted that he thought this current Liverpool side were better than the 2005 Champions League winning side he featured in. He also thinks the gap between the two teams facing each other this Saturday is significantly smaller than the AC Milan side crammed full of superstars he faced. Which Paul quite righty pointed out was bigger at half time!I supposed Jamie didn’t have much of a choice to say that, it still boggles the mind today that stars such as Buffon and Ibrahimovic don’t possess a Champions League winners medal but Djimi Traoré does. No offence Djimi.However, it does make the achievement back in 2005 that extra special, this was a side cobbled together at times by Benitez, a defensive side, a side that quietly went about their business. None of this ‘Heavy metal’, we’ll score 5 if you score 4 football. Rafa was articulate and conservative in his approach.To some degree this could give you a little bit more confidence going into the game on Saturday, back in 2005 you could often wonder where the goals would come from, if any. Now we have a side that have scored at least 5 goals against every opposition we have faced this campaign. That’s not to say we will score five on Saturday, but we’re certainly capable of it.Another key area which Jamie highlighted was the influence of Billy big bollocks at the back, Vigil van Dijk, my words, not his. Carra believes Virgil has all the attributes to become one of the best centre backs ever to play at this club and again admitted van Dijk should leave this club a better player than him!There are of course slight differences in their game but this is due to their physical attributes. van Dijk is a unit and handles pretty much everything thrown at him. Whereas Carra is remembered as a cult hero, full of last ditch tackles, screaming and own goals.Carra picked up on something similar during the Jurgen press conference earlier in the week. Jurgen pointed out that Real Madrid are a side full of talent and experience but it can be countered with desire, will and hard work, everything the epitomises what Carra was about. And to a certain degree, the Liverpool side of 2005. Their work rate, their desire not to give up and a miracle is what ultimately defeated AC Milan back then.There are certain patterns of repetition from back in 2005, Liverpool are the underdog yet again and I think it suits us. And like Carra pointed out, the gap between us is smaller, we are a side full of confidence and we’ve destroyed everything in front of us. Interestingly Jamie told us that he was more nervous in Athens back in 2007. So for all the experience and confidence Real Madrid have, it expectation is on them, somewhere inside of each and everyone of them, they will be shitting it.See you on the other side, Reds.For more quality Liverpool FC content visit http://www.theredmentv.com | Not a subscriber? Start your FREE month trial now! www.theredmentv.com/join