How Liverpool v Chelsea became one of the fiercest rivalries of the 2000s

There is no geographical or historical reason why Liverpool and Chelsea should have any sort of dislike of each other, but for a while in the 2000s their rivalry was one of the most entertaining in English football.
Luis Garcia’s ‘ghost goal’ in the 2005 Champions League semi-final remains the most memorable – and controversial – moment of what turned into one of the most highly-charged fixtures in English football.
The contrast between the two clubs’ fortunes at the time was particularly striking. While they are a working man’s club, Liverpool were part of English football’s traditional aristocracy, whereas Chelsea were on the up, funded by the new money of Roman Abramovich.
As Frank Lampard said in an interview with Jamie Carragher for the Daily Mail: “We were the new kids on the block who had a few quid and signed a load of players. Jose puffed his chest out and then we kept playing each other. It was a clash of two ideals.”
In Rafa Benitez and Jose Mourinho, two managers were in charge who were both looking to make their mark in England. Both astute tacticians, the battle in the dugout was just as fierce as that on the pitch.
All these factors combined to ensure the clashes between the two sides were always fascinating, always competitive and always dramatic.
The new kids on the block
One of the first significant clashes between the two teams actually predates both Benitez and Mourinho.
On the final day of the 2002-03 season, Gerard Houllier’s Reds visited Claudio Ranieri’s Blues in what was essentially a straight shootout for fourth place and Champions League qualification.
The significance of Chelsea’s win that day cannot be overstated. A month later Abramovich completed his takeover of the Blues, but it could have been very different.
“Had Liverpool won on that spring day, who knows what might have happened?” Mark Fleming wrote in The Independent in 2011.
“Abramovich would almost certainly have taken his roubles elsewhere, and Chelsea could have suffered a similar fate to Leeds, or possibly worse, as they were facing financial oblivion at the time.”
On this day: 2003 – Jesper Gronkjaer scored the '£1bn goal' to beat Liverpool to 4th place. The rest is history… pic.twitter.com/yZ8ZVMjKxJ
— Chelsea Transfers (@CFCTransfers) May 11, 2016
The start of something special
By 2005 Mourinho and Benitez had arrived, and Chelsea were ruthless in their attempts to establish as the team to beat in England.
Mourinho’s first trophy at Chelsea came with victory over Liverpool in the League Cup final. Given the drama of what followed between the two teams, it was a fittingly turbulent encounter.
John Arne Riise gave Liverpool the lead after just one minute, but Chelsea triumphed 3-2 after extra-time, with Steven Gerrard scoring an own-goal with just 11 minutes left of the original 90 minutes.
The ghost goal
Arguably the most infamous moment of the rivalry. Undoubtedly the moment when the fixture became something more than just two of the best clubs in the country facing off.
The fact Mourinho still complains about Luis Garcia’s controversial effort – which saw Liverpool reach the Champions League final at Chelsea’s expense – to this day says it all. As does Garcia continuing to dress up as a ghost for Halloween.
Ghosts will be Ghosts !! Happy Halloween everybody😉!!#Halloween2017 #Memories #LoveIt pic.twitter.com/ipRXRe6eak
— Luis Garcia (@luchogarcia14) October 31, 2017
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