Thompson defiant after Camp Nou draw

Liverpool FC's assistant manager Phil Thompson was as defiant as his players after his side's battling display against FC Barcelona at the Camp Nou stadium, and took the moment to hit back at some of the FA Premiership side's critics in Spain after being branded "boring" in the press during the week.

'My players should feel proud'
"I apologise for Liverpool playing so well in the first half," he joked. "We have to be happy about playing better here offensively than last time [last year's 0-0 draw at the stadium in their UEFA Cup semi-final]. But my players should feel proud of themselves because it isn't easy playing at Camp Nou and they did well under such extreme conditions."

'We'll beat Roma'
Thompson said that he is hoping to add Michael Owen's attacking potency to his side for next week's decisive tie against AS Roma at Anfield, when Liverpool need a win, but added that his team would make it whether the England striker was fit or not. "It's important to get Michael Owen back but the other players did well. We trust all the players in the squad and we'll beat Roma next week. Emile [Heskey] got kicked in the calf and had cramp later in the game but he'll be back for sure." 
  
Playful mood
Referring specifically to some of the criticisms levelled at his team by Barcelona's Dutch contingent before the game, Thompson was in playful mood. He said: "No one likes being criticised by players who will be in Disneyland in the summer instead of Japan."

Rexach confident
The home coach, Carles Rexach, was less effusive than his English counterpart, but was confident all the same. "If we had won tonight we would still need a draw next week. I think we can still qualify because I have the experience of winning championships in the last minute."

Hard work
Rexach, however, could not avoid having the final word on Liverpool's style. "We had to try winning tonight but we did expect the match to be like this - Liverpool are dangerous at corners and free-kicks. They pressurised us in the first 15 minutes but we worked hard throughout."

'It just didn't happen'
The night's most impressive performer, Javier Saviola, shared his coach's sentiments. "We have to win in Galatasaray next week that's all. We needed to win tonight but it just didn't happen. We'd be disappointed if we didn't qualify for the quarter-finals so we must win and not play for a draw."