All in the Mind: How Psychology May Dictate the Semi-Finalists

By: Rob | March 31st, 2008

football on the brain So its almost here. The Last 8 Teams remain in the Champions League. If you’re a manager at this stage, how do you convince your players they can win against some of the biggest and best teams in Europe. How do you overcome old blows and new territory? Well read on, as I explore how the managers can give thier teams a psychological boost and get them to the Semi-Finals.

Arsenal Vs Liverpool

Arsene Wenger and Rafa

Perhaps the most intriuging psychologicaly of the 4 ties, for a number of reasons. In 2003, when Benitez was Valencia manager, his side overcame Arsenal 2-0 on aggregate, and he will be hoping for a repeat result. However, since taking over at Anfield, Rafa has yet to beat Arsenal in the Premier League, and indeed they have shipped 12 goals in thier last four league games against Arsenal, struggling to deal with the Gunners free-flowing football. So for Benitez the solution is simple: he must convince his players that this is a Champions League match - sounds easy on paper, it is after all just that, but when your travelling to the Emirates memories of recent hammerings are going to come to the mind of the players. But Liverpool are undoubtedly a European side, and if they can treat this like any other European fixture, then they stand a great chance of overturning thier recent form against Arsenal.

Speaking of form, Arsenal’s form recently has been awful. They picked up a confidence boosting late win at struggling Bolton at the weekend, but theat was precceded by a failure to win since thier epic victory in the San Siro in Milan. Wenger has to remind his troops of the victory in Milan, and forget about thier iffy League form, where they have pretty much thrown the Premiership title away. Arsenal have been slightly overachieving this year untill its levelled itself out of late, but Wenger will have to remind his men that they just don’t lose against Liverpool. It looks to be a fascinating game.

AS Roma Vs Manchester United

For Roma, the main problem here is the oft-mentioned hammering they recieved at this stage in the competetion last year. If Spalletti can get his side to forget about that - as he seemed to at Old Trafford where they were unlucky to loose 1-0 earlier in the tournament - then Roma can approach the game with a fresh mind. They do have the psychological blow of being without thier Captain, Totti too. There is a real feeling with Roma that confidence is a big issue with some of thier big players. They just can’t let thier heads drop, and the big test will be if they go a goal behind, they just can’t crumble, (DDR Will be vital) and will have to get a goal at some stage. If they can remind themselves of Madrid, and not Old Trafford, then they stand every chance.

For United, they too have to put out of thier heads the big victory from last year. If they go out thinking its going to be a cakewalk then they are in real trouble. They are undoubtedly in fine form, and are the best team in England at the moment, so no doubt that if they can just think about their own good form and take that confidence into the game, instead of thinking about recent victories, then they seem unlikely to slip up.

Barcelona Vs Schalke, Chelsea Vs Fenerbahce

Both games are real David Vs Goliath battles, with the Germans getting to this stage for the first time ever, and Barca on paper having the best team left in the tournament.
Barca do go into the game missing key players (Oleguer, Messi, possibly Eto’o) and thier league form has been all over the place this season. They really are still going to have to put in a performance over the two legs, if they believe the hype that the game is done and dusted, they stand a chance of being shocked. Chelsea meanwhile are finding thier form in the league and fighting back to contention for the Prem. The win in the league against Arsenal will be a big boost, but like Barca they have to take the opposition seriously, else they will struggle.

For Schalke and Fener, they have to believe they can geniunely do it - and to prove it, they will be looking to recent times when smaller teams got a long way unexpectedly, like Schalke’s close rivals Dortmund in 1997. They may well also look to the more recent exploits of the likes of Porto. They have to believe - and geniunely believe - they are a match for big sides like Barca and Chelsea and not go as tourists, they will be punished if they do. Its time for big players like Kuranyi and Kezman to really step up to the plate.