▁S érie ▁A ▁in ▁ 1 1 th ▁position ▁after ▁ 4 2 ▁games , ▁they ▁won ▁and ▁lost ▁ 1 6 ▁games ▁each ▁and ▁drew ▁ 1 0 . ▁Liverpool ▁were ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁their ▁domestic ▁season , ▁they ▁were ▁compet ing ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 – 0 6 ▁Premier ▁League . ▁They ▁were ▁second ▁in ▁the ▁table ▁and ▁won ▁their ▁last ▁match ▁before ▁the ▁competition ▁ 2 – 0 , ▁against ▁M idd les br ough . ▁The ▁victory ▁meant ▁Liverpool ▁had ▁gone ▁ 1 0 ▁matches ▁without ▁conced ing ▁a ▁goal , ▁which ▁equ alled ▁a ▁club ▁record . ▁ ▁São ▁Paulo ▁manager ▁Paulo ▁Aut u ori ▁was ▁ad am ant ▁that ▁his ▁team ▁would ▁have ▁to ▁improve ▁on ▁their ▁performance ▁in ▁the ▁semi - final ▁if ▁they ▁were ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁match : ▁" We ' re ▁going ▁to ▁have ▁to ▁improve ▁certain ▁aspects ▁of ▁our ▁play ▁if ▁we ▁want ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁final ." ▁Aut ouri ▁was ▁not ▁wor ried ▁about ▁Liverpool ' s ▁aer ial ▁threat , ▁but ▁was ▁expecting ▁them ▁to ▁keep ▁the ▁ball ▁during ▁the ▁match : ▁" English ▁teams ▁are ▁well ▁known ▁for ▁their ▁aer ial ▁excell ence , ▁But ▁Liverpool ▁are ▁a ▁side ▁that ▁can ▁keep ▁the ▁ball ▁very ▁well ▁too ▁as ▁they ▁proved ▁when ▁winning ▁the ▁Champions ▁League ." ▁ ▁Liverpool ▁manager ▁Rafael ▁Ben í te z ▁would ▁take ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁team ▁for ▁the ▁final , ▁despite ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁his ▁father ▁earlier ▁in ▁the ▁week .