Chelsea v Liverpool:Jose Mourinho wasted no opportunity to bait his opponents ahead of tonight's Champions League semi-final by predicting Liverpool players would try to provoke Didier Drogba into a booking that would see the striker miss the second leg.
Chelsea's manager also accused Dirk Kuyt of deliberately getting booked earlier in the competition to "clean" his disciplinary record. Kuyt was cautioned in Liverpool's quarter-final first-leg win against PSV Eindhoven and, according to Mourinho, it was a deliberate tactic to ensure he did not have any threat of suspension hanging over him for the rest of the competition.
"They have an easy group in Champions League - they have the chance even to clean cards," said Mourinho.
"When you see Kuyt getting a card in the last minute against PSV, it's because he does not want to play the second game to be clean for the rest of the competition."
Michael Essien is suspended tonight, while Joe Cole, Michael Ballack, Lassana Diarra, Arjen Robben and Drogba are all one booking from missing a game.
Mourinho is particularly fearful of losing the Ivorian forward. "It wouldn't surprise me if they chase Drogba for 90 minutes and try to get him suspended for the second game," he said.
Liverpool's manager Rafael Benitez dismissed the Portuguese's attempts to "play games".
"I don't know why he thinks this," he said.
"Maybe because two years ago he was doing the same with Xabi Alonso, maybe he has these things in his mind.
"We are thinking about playing football. If it's a message for the referee, the referee has enough experience. If it is a red card or a yellow card it is the same."
In the semi-final of 2005, Eidur Gudjohnsen was accused by Liverpool of diving to get Alonso booked, thus ruling him out of the second match at Anfield, which Liverpool won 1-0 to go into the Istanbul final.
Benitez added: "I have confidence in Markus Merk; he is a very good referee and I am happy with the referees at this level."
Mourinho also bemoaned Chelsea's recent schedule and an injury list that includes Robben, Ballack and possibly Ricardo Carvalho.
The central defender has been exceptional all season but is struggling to shake off the injury that ruled him out of the goalless draw with Newcastle in the Premiership on Sunday.
Mourinho added: "Ballack is not playing. Carvalho? I will have to speak with him but I have my doubts."
Mourinho insists Liverpool will be much fresher than his side because the Merseysiders have not played as many high-profile games as Chelsea.
Benitez is unsympathetic. "I'm learning a lot of things I didn't know because everyone said we are favourites, they are tired, we have less important games - I don't know who is interested in telling everybody all these things," he said.
"(Mourinho) is a great manager, that is clear, but he likes to play these games.
"They have spent a lot of money over the last few years and they have a big squad.
"I also hear that he says Chelsea have got 60 more points than us over the last three years. Well to do that they have spent big, how much has each point cost them?"
Mourinho insists revenge is not on the agenda as he prepares to face Liverpool at this stage of the tournament for the second time in three years.
Mourinho insists Luis Garcia's deciding goal in the second leg at Anfield two years ago did not cross the line, but denies using the perceived injustice as a motivational tool for his players.
"The computer work done after the game means that everyone now knows it wasn't a goal but that is history, that's past and we move forward," Mourinho said.
"Revenge is not a word for me. This will be a fight, if you can call it that, as I don't like the word, between teams not on the same level."
Benitez, though, tried to get back to the game, saying: "We are confident. We have beaten them before and in important cup ties.
"We feel we can do that again. We need to score and to keep a clean sheet, and we are confident that we can do that.
"If we do score at Stamford Bridge, it will give us a much better chance at Anfield, exactly like last time."
