According to the Mirror, Brendan Rodgers is ready to take a major gamble by resting Steven Gerrard in the Bernabeu tonight.
In a move that is sure to stun Liverpool fans, the former Swansea boss revelead his deliberations yesterday, as he admitted he would prioritise the weekend showdown with Chelsea, even ahead of this Champions’ league clash.
Rodgers is aware that a decision to field a weakened side against Madrid could seriously backfire.
But the manager insisted that he is ready to take full responsibility for the tough decision, as he attempts to juggle his squad to take two big games in four days.
“I don’t see it as a gamble. This week and these games against the likes of Real Madrid I see as a great opportunity for the squad – you put them out there and you put your trust in them to perform,” he insisted.
“In Steven’s case, if he is playing on Saturday I have to look at what is the priority for him and us. If he played against Newcastle and didn’t play tomorrow night you could say that was the priority.
“Him and I have spoken about that. Three big games, Newcastle, Madrid and then Chelsea. I need to look at a number of players to look at the games we want them to play in.
“But I have also got to look at (the fact) we brought in other players. And there is responsibility. But there is no doubt that our priorities are the Premier League and the Champions League, and always in that order.”
The Reds boss knows he will face a fierce backlash if he gets it wrong under those circumstances and his side take a beating from the best team in Europe. But he insisted he is ready to take it on the chin.
“I need to find the solutions. If this is a defining game for me, then great. Whatever the result, I will be refocused and hungrier to win the next game,” he said.
“For me, at this moment, if we want to develop we need to ensure we are in the top four but we also want to qualify from this group and we will never know if these players can perform if we don’t put them in the team.
“I am putting my faith in these players to perform. That is not being pragmatic. It is why you have a squad to come and get results. I see that we have spent an awful lot of money on players to come in and give them an opportunity to perform.
“If at the end of this cycle of games they haven’t performed, they can never say they haven’t been given a chance. For me, whether it is Real Madrid, Newcastle or Chelsea, all I will do as the manager is give them that opportunity to perform.
“We have got three high level games in a week and I have to think about that in preparation for the weekend. I also understand that we have to have a team that can come here and win and that is what we want to do.”
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