Benitez urges real Liverpool to stand up

Published on Wednesday 10 March 2010 22:23

LIVERPOOL manager Rafael Benitez has told his players to tackle tonight's Europa League last-16 first-leg tie against Lille as if it was their "most important game of the season".

After Monday's poor display in the 1-0 defeat to Wigan – described by Benitez as "a blip" – the Reds' hopes of securing a top-four finish in the Barclays Premier League have diminished considerably. As a result, the Europa League – a consolation prize for an early exit from this season's Champions League – represents the club's only realistic chance of success.

"(Monday's game] was an opportunity to get back in the top four – an opportunity that was lost," said Benitez. "You cannot change things but we have an opportunity now in the Europa League and must try to do our best. A game right now will be a chance for the players to show their character. The last 10 games we have been all right. We had character, everyone was working hard, helping each other and working together. It was a surprise and hopefully this result is just a blip and we will see the real Liverpool against Lille. We realise this is important for a lot of people.

"We have to approach every game thinking it is the most important game of the season."

With defender Fabio Aurelio still sidelined with a thigh strain midfielder Yossi Benayoun is Liverpool's only injury doubt as he missed training yesterday with an ankle injury sustained at Wigan.

Meanwhile Fulham manager Roy Hodgson is relishing the opportunity to carve a new chapter in his club's history by eliminating Juventus from the Europa League. Hodgson's side will take on the Serie A giants in the first leg of their last 16 match at the Stadio Olimipico di Torino tonight.

The match represents a new high for the Cottagers, whom Hodgson took over in December 2007 when the club was facing the very real threat of relegation.

Hodgson, who has already guided the west London side through their best ever European campaign, said: "Given our position when I came to the club in 2007 I don't think many people would have actually given any credence to the fact that we'd be this far forward now in our development.

"Apart from appearing in the last vestiges of the Intertoto Cup, we haven't had any European history so we are making history as we go along. The history we are making this year is a very important step in the club's history and one which I hope will provide that stronger foundation that which clubs like ourselves need to make. These adventures in Europe can help us in terms of becoming a stronger football club but we have a long way to go, mind, before we match the Inter Milans, the Juves and the Milans."

Fulham's preparations for the match have been hit by bad weather in the northern Italian city. Snow storms have meant that the Cottagers had to call off their training session at the stadium and instead could only train for an hour indoors at Juve's training complex in Vinovio.

Hodgson admits preparations have not been ideal for the match, but believes that will not ruin his side's chances of victory against an injury-hit Juve side who currently sit fifth in Serie A. "Juventus made it clear that if we insisted on training, as we have the right to do from Uefa, that they would take off the covers and allow us to train on it but that would be counter productive," said Hodgson.

Hodgson's side have a chance of causing an upset with Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini, Felipe Melo and Amauri all missing for Alberto Zaccheroni's side.

Fulham will be without Andrew Johnson, Clint Dempsey and John Pantsil but Paul Konchesky is availableand will replace Nicky Shorey, who is cup tied.