Rafael Benitez insists Liverpool have not missed Fernando Torres and is refusing to gamble on his fitness against Atletico Madrid tonight.
The manager will wait until after training today before deciding whether the striker will return from a five-game lay-off with a hamstring injury to face his former club at Anfield.
Torres is desperate to play, having missed the trip back to Atletico a fortnight ago when the sides drew 1-1 in the Group D match.
Despite Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Tottenham, which cost Liverpool top spot in the Premier League, Benitez insists Torres will only play if he is fully fit.
'We do not have to rush Torres back,' said the manager. 'He is a fantastic player, he can change games, but we have been playing so well we have not missed him.
'If he is confident and wants to play, he will play. If he is not ready then we will not take a risk.'
Benitez is confident his side can win tonight, which will see them through to the last 16 of the Champions League providing PSV Eindhoven lose in Marseille.
'We have nothing to prove, the main thing now is to just concentrate on what we know is right,' said the Reds boss. 'Since we drew in Madrid, they have drawn 4-4 with Villarreal and beaten Mallorca 2-0, with Sergio Aguero returning to score twice.
'Madrid are doing well but they do have problems. Their strengths and weakness are the same, but they do have Aguero back and he is a very good player.'
The manager will wait until after training today before deciding whether the striker will return from a five-game lay-off with a hamstring injury to face his former club at Anfield.
Torres is desperate to play, having missed the trip back to Atletico a fortnight ago when the sides drew 1-1 in the Group D match.
Despite Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Tottenham, which cost Liverpool top spot in the Premier League, Benitez insists Torres will only play if he is fully fit.
'We do not have to rush Torres back,' said the manager. 'He is a fantastic player, he can change games, but we have been playing so well we have not missed him.
'If he is confident and wants to play, he will play. If he is not ready then we will not take a risk.'
Benitez is confident his side can win tonight, which will see them through to the last 16 of the Champions League providing PSV Eindhoven lose in Marseille.
'We have nothing to prove, the main thing now is to just concentrate on what we know is right,' said the Reds boss. 'Since we drew in Madrid, they have drawn 4-4 with Villarreal and beaten Mallorca 2-0, with Sergio Aguero returning to score twice.
'Madrid are doing well but they do have problems. Their strengths and weakness are the same, but they do have Aguero back and he is a very good player.'
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