Revenge time for Alonso

The last time Xabi Alonso saw Chelsea at close quarters he ended up with a broken ankle which threatened to destroy his first season in England.

But his recovery from that Frank Lampard tackle on New Year's Day has been far quicker than even he could have expected.

The Spanish passmaster has been back in Liverpool's midfield these past couple of weeks as the Anfield club chase an improbable tilt at the Champions League and their battle for a top four finish in the Premiership which will ensure they are amongst Europe's elite next season.

They've made around £20million from this season's surge to the semi-finals, and the certainty of another £10million minimum next term for figuring in the group stages would further boost boss Rafa Benitez's transfer kitty.

But that is for the future - Alonso's present is to try to drive Liverpool to next month's final in Istanbul at Chelsea's expense.

And that would be just perfect for Alonso, although he insists he does not blame Lampard for the three months he spent on the sidelines watching Liverpool's erratic season unfold.

Few outside Merseyside believe Liverpool can dump Chelsea out of the competition, having lost to them three times already this season.

But Alonso has other ideas. He said: "Once you have beaten Juventus you have confidence you can beat anyone. That success in the quarter-finals, following the victory in Leverkusen in the previous round, gives us great confidence.

"I know our fans will be wanting us to beat them because of what has happened in the other games against Chelsea this season. But we have to make sure we win because we deserve it, because of our performance on the pitch.

"It's a huge game because it's the Champions League semi-final, not just because it is against Chelsea."

Of the moment when Lampard's tackle broke his ankle, Alonso said: "I have almost forgotten about the tackle now, I have recovered well and I am just pleased to be in the semi-finals.

"I wasn't really upset with Lampard at the time because these things happen in football. You never know, it could happen to me tackling another player at some time so I don't blame him.

"I have spoken to Frank a couple of times and there is no problem between us, it is not a problem for me."

Lampard, in fact, telephoned the Reds player to apologise, so when the pair meet again at Stamford Bridge for the first leg next Wednesday, club achievement will be their only incentive.

This is Liverpool's best European performance since 1985, the last time they reached the European Cup final.

That was the awful night in Brussels when the Heysel tragedy made unimportant the fact that Liverpool lost their European crown to Juventus - the club's only defeat in five European Cup finals.

The tie with Chelsea will be Liverpool's 12th European semi-final in all, such is the pedigree they take into the showdown.

It's old money against new, a club who dominated Europe for three decades against one who have only really been around at this level for a couple of rouble drenched seasons.

And Alonso believes Liverpool can repeat the sort of performance which defied the might of Juventus in the Stadio delle Alpi last week with a fierce defensive display, having outgunned them at Anfield with arguably the club's best attacking show since the good old days.

He said: "We have the confidence to repeat our performances against Juventus - we played so well and did everything we needed for victory.

"It was great for me to make my comeback in such an important game in Turin, it was a wonderful evening for the club and the match went better than I could have hoped for, I felt no problems with my ankle.

"We worked hard to keep the ball away from our goal and we controlled the match, and I know we can do that again."

Liverpool will need to do that and much more if they are to survive the first leg with a result which keeps them in the tie.

But if the Anfield men can keep the scores level or just be one behind, the Anfield return could be something very special.

Alonso added: "Chelsea are a team we are very familiar with, they've beaten us twice in the league and in the Carling Cup final. But in all those games we could have won, and I just know it is going to be a great night when they come to Anfield."