Preview'Something special' - LFC Legends on returning to Anfield
Liverpool FC Legends have been sharing their anticipation for this afternoon's LFC Foundation charity match against Barça Legends at Anfield.
A squad of famous names from Reds history will face a team of Barcelona greats in a 3pm GMT kick-off that fans can watch on Facebook Live for £1.99.
The special event will raise vital funds for LFC Foundation and its charity partners, with a portion of the proceeds also set to help The Owen McVeigh Foundation, Right to Play, Forever Reds and the Barça Foundation.
LFC Legends limbered up for their return to the Anfield turf with a session at the AXA Training Centre on Friday evening and we caught up with a few of them to hear their excitement about representing the club and playing in front of the fans again, and the importance of the causes they are supporting by doing so…
Fabio Aurelio
“It’s really amazing to have the opportunity to step in Anfield again. Once you are a retired footballer you never expect to do that again, especially at such a club as Liverpool. To have the opportunity to contribute to such a great cause, the LFC Foundation, and having that dream also coming true: stepping in Anfield again.”
Inside Training: Legends prepare to face Barça
Milan Baros
“I’m excited, looking forward to the game because it’s nearly 15 or 16 years I haven’t been at Anfield. So, I’m excited. It was always something special. Especially in Anfield, the atmosphere is amazing there and the people are great. I’m really looking forward to be playing again in front of the Liverpool fans in the red shirt. It’s perfect for me. The money will help the people who need it, so it’s great. I’m happy that I can be in the squad with the guys, I haven’t seen them in a long time so I’m really looking forward to this game.”
Salif Diao
“It’s something difficult to describe. It’s a great feeling, it brings back a lot of great memories. Seeing all the lads as well is always great, you always miss the banter of the changing room. Catching up with people is a really great feeling. Getting to Anfield is like going back to a church or a mosque, arriving in, it’s your garden; you even miss the smell of the grass. It’s funny, every time we get to Anfield I always get a piece of grass and start smelling it – because you miss the smell of the grass. It’s really fantastic.
“The fans, really, as we say: You’ll Never Walk Alone. Still now we get letters from fans, from all around the world and everywhere we’ve been we still see Liverpool fans. It’s a really great feeling and an honour and a massive pleasure to be part of this family.”
Jose Enrique
“There are no words to describe it. I’ve played twice already for the Legends but they have been away from home. I was really excited two years ago when this game was supposed to happen; it didn’t happen and I was really looking forward to it. I actually was fitter then! Because I looked after myself even better then. But obviously very, very excited to be back at Anfield. I know it’s sold out so there’s going to be a lot of fans there. I’m a little bit nervous because for the chance again to play in front of the fans, you try to keep your best but obviously we are not who we used to be. But the most important thing is enjoying it and I’m very, very excited.”
Steve McManaman
“It’s really special because of a number of reasons. Firstly, the charitable aspect goes without saying. Because of COVID and the fact a number of games have been cancelled and it has been a couple of years now, I haven’t seen some of the boys for such a long time. I haven’t seen a lot of the foreign lads because of course the travel restrictions, not being able to travel ourselves. So to actually see a few of them will be really enjoyable, just to catch up with them.
“Everybody has been affected in some way, shape or form by the pandemic and it will be nice just to catch up with everybody, see how they are and see how their families are. So I’m really looking forward to that aspect of meeting up actually. We’ve got a very strong old boys’ network here at Liverpool Football Club, it’s brilliant to have. The fact that we keep in touch and we see each other a lot normally, is great. So I’m more looking forward to seeing the lads than actually the physicality and the playing side of it!”
Presented by AXA, the match is brought to you in association with Forever Reds, the official LFC former players association.
This article has been automatically translated and, while all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, some errors in translation are possible. Please refer to the original English-language version of the article for the official version.