Baros ban depletes Reds strikeforce
Milan Baros has apologised for the horror challenge which left Alan Stubbs in agony and Liverpool short of attacking options for their Champions League challenge.
The 23-year-old striker was given a straight red card after his crude lunge connected with the Everton defender’s knee during the Merseyside derby at the weekend.
While Rafael Benitez’ side closed the gap on their fourth-placed rivals with a 2-1 win, the Reds strike-force is now threadbare after injuries and Baros’ subsequent three-match ban.
The Czech Republic striker wanted to apologise for his poor challenge, claiming his tackle was not intended to hurt the Toffees skipper.
“I wanted to kick the ball away,” Baros said. “I closed my eyes and ran for it and unluckily I hit his knee. I am sorry. My style of playing is based on aggressiveness.
“I appreciate it looked furious on television but I surely did not want to knowingly foul him. I wanted to kick the ball away.
“I saw worse fouls and they were only yellow cards, but this does not excuse me. My challenge was surely a red card. I will be given a three-match ban, that is normal here. If we had not won I would have felt guilty for that.”
With fourth place in the Barclays Premiership ensuring Champions League preliminary qualification, Benitez could be without any strikers available for the crucial clash against sixth-placed Bolton on April 2.
Baros will be banned for the clash at Anfield, while Fernando Morientes, Djibril Cisse, Florent Sinama-Pongolle, Harry Kewell and Neil Mellor are sidelined through injury.
The lack of attacking options has increased the importance of Liverpool’s defence maintaining the standard shown in recent weeks.
Mauricio Pellegrino impressed against Everton, and the January signing believes he can improve in the final games of the season.
The 33-year-old said: “I know what my best is, and it’s not here yet. Yes, I’ve been happier with how I’ve played in the last three games, but I need to still improve.
“I feel I still need to know a lot more about my opponents and my team-mates. You never stop learning, no matter how long you’ve been in the game. You can improve every time you play.
“We’re all very happy to have performed so well in such an important and difficult match. This should give us confidence for the rest of the Premiership campaign.”
Midfielder Dietmar Hamann admitted the injury worries could cost his side this season, but the Germany international was encouraged by the performance against Everton.
The 31-year-old now wants his team-mates to raise their game against ‘lesser’ opposition, which they failed to do last week when they met Blackburn and drew 0-0.
“There is a danger we could go into the Bolton game without a recognised striker, but we’ll just have to hope some of the injuries clear up in time,” Hamann told official website www.liverpoolfc.tv
“The big question now, though, is can we produce the same level of performance when there isn’t the same sense of occasion. That is where we have fallen down this season, against the so-called lesser teams. That is when our standards have dropped.
“I can’t explain it, but it is essential now that the Everton performance becomes the benchmark for the rest of the campaign.
“There’s no point dwelling on problems from earlier in the season. We have got to take encouragement from our recent form against Bayer Leverkusen (in the Champions League) and Everton and look forward with confidence and self belief.”
