He said: “I have just been asked that same question by the Spanish journalists, and I know what is going on. They are trying to make out it is not as important for Barcelona, but I am not having that.
“In the last two games, they have rested Deco, Eto’o and Thuram, and the reason is obvious. They have been thinking about Anfield. In fact, they have been thinking of this game ever since we won in the Nou Camp.
“Make no mistake, it is really important for them, and you can be certain Eto’o will be back in the starting line-up. We know he will play. It’s a certainty, but I’m not saying who we will have up front.
“They are talking about Crouch again, and he is a big problem for them. They don’t face such tall strikers in Spain, so they will probably expect him to play. Will he? The players will be the first to know, but I will only tell them an hour before kick-off.
“Maybe Barcelona were a bit shaken by what happened to them in the first leg, but that is all the more reason for us to be on our guard. I have had a talk with the players about it, because I could see they were still so disappointed about Manchester United winning in injury time.
“We cannot repeat Saturday’s mistake, and we must be more clinical at the other end, but I stressed they should be feeling good about themselves after being in control for so long against the League leaders.”
