'You want to': Former Chelsea captain admits he used to tap the 'This Is Anfield' sign before playing Liverpool

Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net.

There are none like it in the Premier League, and perhaps even the rest of Europe.

The mystique of Anfield is at the heart of that, with countless legendary players bowled over by the history and mythology of the stadium.

World Cup winner Marcel Desailly is one of those who counts himself as a big fan of Anfield, and the former Chelsea captain has now admitted that he even used to touch the fabled ‘This Is Anfield’ sign when playing against Liverpool.



Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images

Having spent his career in France and Italy, Desailly was already nearly 30 by the time he rocked up at Chelsea in 1998.

Nevertheless, the centre-back went on to spend six years at Stamford Bridge, captaining the side between 2001 and 2004.

MORE LIVERPOOL STORIES

READ MORE: Liverpool could move to secure Bayern Munich free signing if they miss out on Marc Guehi

But despite his allegiances to Chelsea, Desailly told beIN SPORTS this week that he always felt ‘happy’ when he got the chance to play at Anfield, as well as St James’ Park.

“St James’ Park was, wow, just amazing.

“Liverpool, when you play at Liverpool you are happy.

You’ll Never Walk Alone, you even want to sing when you are the opponent!”

“When you come down the stairs you want to touch the logo of Liverpool.

Captain of Chelsea, I’m touching the logo of Liverpool because I’m happy to be there, it’s football.

[You are thinking] ooh, tonight is not going to be an easy night.”

With Desailly clearly a big lover of Liverpool, it is a shame the Reds were not in for him when he left AC Milan for Chelsea in 1998.

The defender had just won the World Cup with France and would go on to become one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League.

Liverpool could have perhaps done with a centre-back at the time.

Chelsea were yet to see the riches of Roman Abramovich, and they were competing at a similar level to Liverpool at the time.