Thursday, 6th November, 2014
QPR boss Harry Redknapp has defended Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers' decision to rest a whole host of first team regulars against Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Rodgers dropped Steven Gerrard, Raheem Sterling, Philippe Coutinho and Mario Balotelli to the bench at the Bernabeu, while Dejan Lovren was left out of the matchday squad completely.
Liverpool slipped to a 1-0 defeat, never really troubling the Spaniards, and Rodgers was criticised for adopting a small club approach with the five-time European Cup winners, who beat Real Madrid on their last trip to the Bernabeu in 2009.
But Redknapp understands Rodgers wanted to rest players for Liverpool's match against Chelsea on Saturday.
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"Brendan didn't pick a team to lose the game!" Redknapp told a press conference.
"He picked a team to try and win the game. No one picks a team to lose a game.
"He's rested some players with Saturday in mind.
"They got beat 1-0. They didn't get smashed up.
"Brendan's their manager. It depends what happens on Saturday [how his decision looks]."
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