Gerrard: There's no place like Rome

Steven Gerrard is determined to become the third Liverpool captain to lift the European Cup in Rome. Liverpool play the first leg of their quarter-final against Chelsea at Anfield and Gerrard has his heart set on making history in the Italian capital, where the final will be played next month. The Stadio Olimpico has become a lucky venue for Liverpool, having won the European Cup there in 1977 and 1984.

He said: 'Rome has a lot of history with this club and the aim is to add to that history. We want to be the ones to go back to Rome and do it again. We remember the magical nights when Liverpool won there before.

'I want to win another Champions League. Everyone saw when I lifted the trophy in 2005 how much the competition meant to me.

'That was the best night of my football life.'

Dailymail.co.uk

Luca Toni promises to walk through Munich naked…

Luca Toni's Bayern Munich are high on Champions League confidence after putting approximately 412 goals past Sporting in the last round, but face a huge challenge against Barcelona in the quarter-finals this month.

The World Cup winner has been decorated with many honours in his football career, but he is willing to give anything to get his hands around the European Cup, including his clothes and dignity:

“Reaching Rome is my goal. I have won so many titles in my career but this one still eludes me.

“If we bring the Champions League trophy back to Munich, I promise: I will walk naked through the Marienplatz!”

Toni believes Bayern Munich have the mettle to win the competition, thanks to the fact that they field “eleven lions”, rather than “eleven professionals”. Frankly, we can’t see the Germans getting past Barcelona or Liverpool/ Chelsea in the semis, but the proposed nudity stunt will definitely excite his legions of female fans: Italian women recently voted Toni as the footballer they would most like to see naked.