http://www.uefa.com/competitions/UCL/news/Kind=8192/newsId=221220.html

Mauro seeks Anfield spotlight

Wednesday, 1 September 2004
By Andy Hall


A FIFA World Cup winner with Brazil and the recipient of a host of
domestic honours in Brazil and Spain, you would think that it would
be no easy task to get RC Deportivo La Coruna midfield player
Mauro Silva's pulse racing.

Anfield excitement

However, ever since last week's UEFA Champions League draw in Monaco,
the 36-year-old Brazilian has been buzzing as he contemplates the
prospect of a first - and probably last - trip to play in front of the
Kop end at Liverpool FC's Anfield stadium on 19 October.


Historic opportunity

"I have never had the chance to play at Anfield during my career and
so I am very excited to be able to now," he explained. "A lot of
history has been made at that stadium, it's a mythical ground and it
makes me very happy to know that I will now have the chance to play
there."


Retirement plans

It could well be one of the player's last games in European competition
after he recently told his coach Javier Irureta that this season would
be his last, having been a rock at the heart of the Deportivo midfield
since joining the club from CA Bragantino in 1992.


League milestone

As the Primera Division campaign began last Saturday, Mauro claimed his
350th league appearance in Deportivo's game against RCD Espanyol, and he
is now looking forward to his fifth successive season of Champions
League football with Deportivo, after reaching the semi-finals with his
team last season.


Knockout stages

As well as two games against Liverpool, Deportivo need to outwit AS
Monaco FC and Olympiacos CFP in order to claim a place in the knockout
stages this season. And certainly, Mauro is in no doubt that all three
sides are worthy opponents.



No quarter

"At this level you know that none of the teams you could face are going
to be easy," he explained. "The hard work really begins now because no
one is going to give us an easy ride."


Spanish contingent

Boasting a Spanish coach, Rafael Benitez, and Spanish players Xabi Alonso,
Josemi, Antonio Nunez and Luis Garcia, Liverpool will provide a
particularly stern test for Deportivo.


Complacency costs

"[Benitez] knows the Spanish league inside out and that will be a plus
for Liverpool," said Mauro. "Xabi and Josemi know our strengths and
weaknesses but we know about theirs too. What is clear is that we
cannot afford to go into any of these games with excessive confidence
like we did last year."


Monaco memories

That statement will certainly cover the visit of Monaco, even though
Deportivo famously were thrashed 8-3 at the same stage of the
competition by Didier Deschamps' men last season. "I'm sure that the
press will be making something out of it but for us, it's just
another game," he said.  "We don't see it as a grudge match at all. As
far as we are concerned, it's the same as playing Liverpool or
Olympiacos - we have to go out to win and make sure of the three points.


'Higher level'

"I think this season's competition has a higher level than in previous
years," concluded the Brazilian. "It's more evenly-balanced. We have
Spain's four top clubs, Italy's four top clubs and that's important -
that all the historic clubs, the strongest teams on the continent are
taking part."