Liverpool Legends will take on their Chelsea counterparts in March next year
Sport
Updated 09:33, 12 Dec 2024
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Luis Garcia and Patrik Berger during the LFC Foundation Charity match between Liverpool Legends and Barcelona Legends at Anfield on March 26, 2022
Liverpool Legends will meet Chelsea at Anfield next year as the LFC Foundation looks to add to the £7.5m already raised for charitable causes across the Merseyside region. The former Reds favourites will host a contingent representing Chelsea at Anfield on March 22, nearly 20 years on from the famous Champions League semi-final of May 2005 when Luis Garcia scored in a 1-0 win for Rafa Benitez's team against Jose Mourinho's men.
It's unclear who will be representing the Liverpool team on the day but match-winner Garcia is almost certain to be asked given his contribution during one of the most famous evenings in Anfield's storied European history.
Garcia's strike in that victory over Mourinho's side was infamously branded a "ghost goal" by the Portuguese boss, who was insistent the effort did not cross the line before it was cleared by William Gallas.
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The Reds went on to win the Champions League after seeing off Mourinho's Premier League champions by beating AC Milan in Istanbul on penalties.
Liverpool have previously enlisted the help of Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso to turn out at the Legends' games and the full squad list will be revealed over the coming weeks.
Matt Parish, LFC Foundation chief executive, said: “Last season was our best Legends game yet both in terms of the day itself and the funds raised, and we look forward to going again this season.
“The games are always a special occasion for supporters of all ages, and the support we receive is incredible. The funds raised enable us to support even more children, young people and families in our community and beyond.
"We can see the difference that has made from the funds raised from previous years and this year the funds will be used to help support the vital work of our Health programmes.”
Funds from the game will specifically support the LFC Foundation’s Health programmes specifically, which provide physical and mental well-being programmes for people of all ages, say Liverpool.
Back in March the club granted Sven-Goran Eriksson his wish of coaching a Reds team at Anfield after it was revealed in January that the former England coach had been diagnosed with a terminal illness. He passed away, aged 76, in August.
“To sit on the bench for Liverpool, that’s been my dream my whole life," Eriksson said after a 4-2 win against Ajax Legends. "Now it happened, and it was a beautiful day in all meanings.
“The crowd, the game, the players, everything, fantastic, and thank you to Liverpool for giving me this opportunity, to invite me for such an important game – it’s not points but the importance of the game is incredible.
“It was full of emotions, tears coming. It’s been my dream club all my life – even when I had England, I also supported Liverpool, but I couldn’t say it at that time. It’s a good finish, to finish with Liverpool, it can’t be much better than that.”