Benitez sets sights on last 16

Rafa Benitez wants Liverpool to banish the bitter memories of their Tottenham meltdown by booking a place in the Champions League second round on Tuesday.

Benitez’s side suffered their first defeat of the season on Saturday after Roman Pavlyuchenko’s stoppage time strike gave Spurs a shock 2-1 win at White Hart Lane, but the Reds have the perfect opportunity to bounce back against Atletico Madrid.

A Liverpool victory in the Group D clash at Anfield, combined with a PSV Eindhoven loss to Marseille, would guarantee the top two finish needed to reach the last 16.

It is a tantalising prospect for Benitez, who would then be able to rest key players for Liverpool’s last two group matches and focus on improving his team’s position in the Premier League title race.

“Clearly we want to be qualified for the knockout stages as quickly as we can and a win on Tuesday will almost certainly settle that,” he said.

“But Madrid are a fine side, and away from home they are very dangerous on the counter-attack with some outstanding players of pace and quality.

“If we can win it will be a massive result for us. If we can get the points to qualify as soon as possible it will take a lot of pressure from us.

“It will mean that we can use other players in the final group matches and be able to concentrate our strengths and efforts in the Premier League to maintain our position in the title race.

“But I am sure that Atletico Madrid is thinking just the same thing, they will want to ensure their qualification as quickly as possible, too.”

Atletico would also ensure a place in the last 16 if they won at Anfield and PSV lost to Marseille.

“The incentive for both clubs is clear, the winners would have 10 points and that could well be enough,” Benitez added.

Benitez expects to welcome back former Atletico striker Fernando Torres, who has missed the last five matches, including the Madrid trip, with a hamstring injury.

“Fortunately, Fernando is ready to play,” Benitez said. “I don’t know if he will start, but he will definitely be on the bench, barring anything unexpected.

“Clearly he is very important to us. He can win games when we are not playing well. He can change games.

“Always you miss a player like that, but I am really pleased with the performances of the other players without him.

“Javier Mascherano, Torres and Martin Skrtel have all missed several games each but we are still doing okay. That shows the quality we have in the squad now, it has improved at Liverpool.”

Javier Aguirre’s side warmed up for their Anfield mission with a 2-0 win over Real Mallorca on Saturday and it was Sergio Aguero – the man who has replaced Torres in the hearts of Atletico fans – who scored both goals.

And Torres isn’t the only player desperate to be involved on Tuesday. Atletico winger Luis Garcia spent three seasons at Anfield and is still remembered fondly for his winner against Chelsea in the 2005 Champions League semi-final.

His Madrid team-mate Florent Sinama Pongolle also helped Liverpool in that victorious campaign by scoring the first of three second-half goals which rescued them from elimination against Olympiakos.

“They gave me so much, but by the end I needed to play first-team football,” Simama Pongolle told the Sunday Times. “Coming to Spain has been good. I’ve worked hard for this, pushed myself.

“It’s a big night for me. For players like Torres and Pepe Reina, it was special coming to Madrid. Me, I’ve been looking forward to going back to Anfield.”