Benitez: Europa League is massive

(GSM) – Liverpool coach, Rafael Benitez believes Liverpool will land one of the most difficult trophies to win should they sign off the 2009-10 campaign with Europa League glory.

The Reds boss reckons the calibre of opposition his side will have to overcome makes it one of the toughest cup competitions around, with a potential final date with host club Hamburg on the horizon should they see off Atletico Madrid.

“I think the Europa League is massive compared, say, to the Carling Cup because of the teams left,” he said.

“The best possible finish to the season for us would be winning the Europa League or being in the top four. If not, then you have to understand that a bad season is part of the game. I’ve not had many bad seasons, so that is a problem for me.”

“We always try to win a trophy each season at this club. Sometimes it is not possible to achieve that, and you must accept it, but when you have a chance to win a trophy you should go for it.”

If Liverpool are to have a chance of clinching the Europa League trophy for a record fourth time they will first have to see off Atletico Madrid in the last four.

Los Rojiblancos have proved to be something of a ‘cup team’ this season and Benitez is well aware of the threat they will pose over the two legs.

“Atlético are a good team, they have very good players but they are a little bit inconsistent,” Benítez says.

“They are out of the league so they have been focusing on the cups. Sometimes they can play really well – they have reached the final of the Spanish Cup – for instance, but they can also lose to Xerez, at the bottom, as they did this week.”

“Maybe they lose concentration, or perhaps they know they cannot achieve anything in the league now and save their best performances for the cups. We won’t be underestimating them, not with Fernando Torres and Maxi Rodríguez in our side. We know Atlético really well.”

“Right now it would be important for everyone here to win a trophy,” Benitez added.