Babel ready to lead Liverpool firing line

Liverpool’s Ryan Babel insists he will have no qualms about leading the frontline against Atletico Madrid on Thursday should the club?s injury problems require him to play as a makeshift striker.

Rafa Benitez?s plans for the Europa League semi-final second leg against Atletico have been disrupted by the injuries to forwards David Ngog (back) and Dirk Kuyt (calf) while Fernando Torres (knee) had already been ruled out.

Ngog and Kuyt are both very doubtful for the second leg, which will see Madrid start with a 1-0 aggregate advantage after Diego Forlan?s goal won the first encounter last week.

That could mean a central for Babel and the Dutch winger, who started his career as a striker at Ajax, will be more than happy to take a rare opportunity to shine in a major game.

“It’s a nice role because I played all my youth as a striker so that?s why I like it, it is fine,” he said.

“I think it’s a very big game. It?s another chance to win something and to make a success of this season and it?s definitely important for the club and also for the players.

“It?s a good thing that the second leg is at Anfield, definitely also with our fans behind us. We have come from behind before so I have confidence that we can do it again.”

Liverpool?s fans will not be cheered by the fact Benitez refused to confirm that he has a long-term future at the club.

The Spaniard has been linked for the last month with a summer move to Juventus who want him to replace interim manager Alberto Zaccheroni.

They have planned a four-year contract for Benitez and he will be promised 100 million euros in transfer funds, a far cry from his limited budget on Merseyside.

Pressed repeatedly on the matter, Benitez preferred not to commit himself to his present club.

“I don?t like the rumours,” he said. “I would like to see news in the press about trophies, or goals or fantastic performances but you cannot control everything.

“My future is Atletico Madrid — we have to concentrate on this game.”

During this season?s Europa League competition, Liverpool have been behind on two occasions after the first leg but have gone on to win and Benitez is confident that can happen again.

In the quarter-finals they were 2-1 down against Benfica before claiming a 5-3 aggregate victory, while in the last 16 they also lost the first meeting 1-0 against Lille before eventually winning 3-1.

Benitez praised the Atletico striking duo of Forlan and Sergio Aguero and admitted that his side will have to be at their very best to overcome the visitors.

But he is confident that if his squad perform well, and the Anfield crowd gets behind his side, then Liverpool will prosper.

“We know that Aguero and Forlan are great players but it is 11 v 11 on the pitch,” he added.

“Let?s hope that our 11 can impose ourselves and that our crowd can help us.

“The key is to remain calm and keep a cool head, It is very clear that we will start a goal behind but the atmosphere and the fans make Anfield totally different.

“We will feel the pressure but hopefully they will feel it more than us.”