Liverpool vs Ludogorets Match Thread
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Liverpool have received some backing from an unlikely source as they begin their Champions League campaign – former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes.
Scholes, a member of the Manchester United side that won the 2008 final, expects Anfield to be a tough place for visiting sides and thinks the Reds could go all the way. The 39-year-old said: “Liverpool are the dark horse of the competition this year. “Brendan Rodgers has done a fantastic job. The style of play he’s adopted is exciting to watch and the players seem to have taken to him. "I feel they will do well with the players they have. “The big advantage they have is a home crowd. Anfield is always a hostile place to go, which is something Manchester City lack.”
Scholes, a member of the Manchester United side that won the 2008 final, expects Anfield to be a tough place for visiting sides and thinks the Reds could go all the way. The 39-year-old said: “Liverpool are the dark horse of the competition this year. “Brendan Rodgers has done a fantastic job. The style of play he’s adopted is exciting to watch and the players seem to have taken to him. "I feel they will do well with the players they have. “The big advantage they have is a home crowd. Anfield is always a hostile place to go, which is something Manchester City lack.”
As Liverpool gear up for their much-anticipated return to the Champions League this evening, find out the crucial details about opponents Ludogorets Razgrad with our pre-match facts and figures.
In European football, Ludogorets have played 24 games - winning 11, drawing six and losing seven. In European Cup competition, they have played 14, won five, drawn four and lost five.
Despite only gaining promotion to the top flight in 2011, Ludogorets have won the Bulgarian championship three times, in each of the past three campaigns. Last season, they finished 12 points clear of CSKA Sofia.
They have also been successful in the national cup twice, in 2011-12 and last season. Their most recent triumph was achieved with a 1-0 win over Botev Plovdiv, their 63rd match of a marathon campaign.
The Bulgarians' biggest ever European victory was earlier this season when they beat Dudelange of Luxembourg 4-0. Their heaviest defeat was last campaign, 3-0 at home to Spanish side Valencia.
In the qualifying rounds of this season's Champions League, Ludogorets conceded just four goals in six fixtures and recorded three clean sheets.
In 2013-14, they reached the knockout stages of the Europa League by topping a group that contained Chernomorets, PSV Eindhoven and Dinamo Zagreb. They won five and drew one of their six ties, conceding only twice.
This is the Bulgarian club's first trip to England in European competition, although they did play a friendly in north Wales at Connah's Quay Nomads in early July, winning 7-0.
Defender Cosmin Moti, who was the hero of their play-off tie with Partizan Belgrade when he went in goal and saved two penalties in the shootout, has played on Merseyside before. He was part of the Dinamo Bucharest team that, despite losing 1-0 at Goodison Park, beat Everton 5-2 on aggregate in the UEFA Cup in September 2005.
Marcelinho has made the most appearances for the club in Europe with 18, while their highest scorer is Roman Bezjak with eight.
Liverpool return to Champions League action for the first time in 1,742 days.
Ludogorets will be the Reds' 120th different European opponent and their third from Bulgaria following CSKA Sofia and Levski Sofia. Liverpool have won six and lost two of their eight meetings with Bulgarian teams in Europe.
With 28, Steven Gerrard has scored twice as many goals in this competition as any other Reds player in history. Ian Rush is next on the list with 14.
The Liverpool captain has played in the Champions League 81 times during his career - second only to Jamie Carragher, with 91, on the club's appearance list.
Gerrard is the last Liverpool player to score a European hat-trick, doing so as a substitute against Napoli at Anfield in the Europa League in 2010. It is one of 17 hat-tricks recorded by Reds in Europe.
That treble is one of two hat-tricks scored in European competition by the Reds skipper during his career. No Liverpool player has ever scored three.
Only one Liverpool player has ever scored a hat-trick against a Bulgarian team - Graeme Souness scored three in a 5-1 victory over CSKA Sofia in 1981.
In European football, Ludogorets have played 24 games - winning 11, drawing six and losing seven. In European Cup competition, they have played 14, won five, drawn four and lost five.
Despite only gaining promotion to the top flight in 2011, Ludogorets have won the Bulgarian championship three times, in each of the past three campaigns. Last season, they finished 12 points clear of CSKA Sofia.
They have also been successful in the national cup twice, in 2011-12 and last season. Their most recent triumph was achieved with a 1-0 win over Botev Plovdiv, their 63rd match of a marathon campaign.
The Bulgarians' biggest ever European victory was earlier this season when they beat Dudelange of Luxembourg 4-0. Their heaviest defeat was last campaign, 3-0 at home to Spanish side Valencia.
In the qualifying rounds of this season's Champions League, Ludogorets conceded just four goals in six fixtures and recorded three clean sheets.
In 2013-14, they reached the knockout stages of the Europa League by topping a group that contained Chernomorets, PSV Eindhoven and Dinamo Zagreb. They won five and drew one of their six ties, conceding only twice.
This is the Bulgarian club's first trip to England in European competition, although they did play a friendly in north Wales at Connah's Quay Nomads in early July, winning 7-0.
Defender Cosmin Moti, who was the hero of their play-off tie with Partizan Belgrade when he went in goal and saved two penalties in the shootout, has played on Merseyside before. He was part of the Dinamo Bucharest team that, despite losing 1-0 at Goodison Park, beat Everton 5-2 on aggregate in the UEFA Cup in September 2005.
Marcelinho has made the most appearances for the club in Europe with 18, while their highest scorer is Roman Bezjak with eight.
Liverpool return to Champions League action for the first time in 1,742 days.
Ludogorets will be the Reds' 120th different European opponent and their third from Bulgaria following CSKA Sofia and Levski Sofia. Liverpool have won six and lost two of their eight meetings with Bulgarian teams in Europe.
With 28, Steven Gerrard has scored twice as many goals in this competition as any other Reds player in history. Ian Rush is next on the list with 14.
The Liverpool captain has played in the Champions League 81 times during his career - second only to Jamie Carragher, with 91, on the club's appearance list.
Gerrard is the last Liverpool player to score a European hat-trick, doing so as a substitute against Napoli at Anfield in the Europa League in 2010. It is one of 17 hat-tricks recorded by Reds in Europe.
That treble is one of two hat-tricks scored in European competition by the Reds skipper during his career. No Liverpool player has ever scored three.
Only one Liverpool player has ever scored a hat-trick against a Bulgarian team - Graeme Souness scored three in a 5-1 victory over CSKA Sofia in 1981.
Fuck, he has a habit of being completely 10000% wrong on his predictions.
Can't wait, hopefully we start quickly and score early. Mario badly needs a goal
I prefer his first name, the useless sack of shit. You going to the game? Does your mom hate him already??
??? Can't get into your seat or too painful?? Shit news
Should win this, but I think it will be more difficult than anticipated.
And when are you Lee coming for the Boxing Day test and Melb cup
GET TE FUCK
If we do lose, I fear for your god complex!
Can you not just have injections?
I know a lad who can get you a kilo of horse placenta. Just PM me.
Dirk Kuyt @Dirk_18_Kuyt 1m
Yes!!!Liverpool is back in the Champions League tonight!!! Great memories and great memories to come!!! YNWA http://instagram.com/p/tA4CODOMC7/
Yes!!!Liverpool is back in the Champions League tonight!!! Great memories and great memories to come!!! YNWA http://instagram.com/p/tA4CODOMC7/
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