After returning from Madrid with a crucial away goal, Rafa Benitez has declared that his side will still be aiming for a win in the second leg at Anfield, and won't be employing defensive tactics.
Primera Division heavyweights Real Madrid have an arduous task on their hands when they travel to Anfield to take on Liverpool in the second leg of their Champions League clash in two weeks' time.
The Reds have a formidable reputation at home in Europe, bolstered even further by their vocal fans who have often been described as the club's 12th man.
Due to Israeli captain Yossi Benayoun's match-winning goal in the Santiago Bernabeu, it would not have been absurd to assume that Liverpool - who still harbour hopes of a memorable domestic and European double - would be looking to protect that lead with a defensive display at home.
Rafael Benitez though is adamant that the best form of defence is attack, and that his side will do all they can to ruin any chance of a Real Madrid comeback by going for the win.
"The away goal could be crucial but playing against Real Madrid is always difficult, so we have to approach the game at Anfield trying to win," he told the club's official website.
"I think with the fans behind the team we can beat anyone, so now we have to go forward. If we can work as hard as on Wednesday and play a little bit better at times I think we will have our chances."
Regarding the manner in which the club battled to a 1-0 win in their first ever game at Real Madrid's home ground, Benitez said, "I am really pleased - pleased for the players, the team, the club and for the fans. To win here in Madrid is very difficult and I think we did a very good job. The players were working so hard - they deserved to win."
On the injury to Fernando Torres, who is expected to be sidelined for the club's weekend Premier League tie with Teesside club Middlesbrough, the Spaniard added, "The ankle was swelling so we needed to protect him."
Regarding the manager's own future, most Reds' fans will be pleased to hear that the flurry of activity that prompted bookmakers to suspend betting temporarily yesterday morning was, in fact, founded on hearsay, as Benitez said, "I was not thinking about resigning, I was thinking about trying to win. Concentrating on the game was my idea, clearly."
Primera Division heavyweights Real Madrid have an arduous task on their hands when they travel to Anfield to take on Liverpool in the second leg of their Champions League clash in two weeks' time.
The Reds have a formidable reputation at home in Europe, bolstered even further by their vocal fans who have often been described as the club's 12th man.
Due to Israeli captain Yossi Benayoun's match-winning goal in the Santiago Bernabeu, it would not have been absurd to assume that Liverpool - who still harbour hopes of a memorable domestic and European double - would be looking to protect that lead with a defensive display at home.
Rafael Benitez though is adamant that the best form of defence is attack, and that his side will do all they can to ruin any chance of a Real Madrid comeback by going for the win.
"The away goal could be crucial but playing against Real Madrid is always difficult, so we have to approach the game at Anfield trying to win," he told the club's official website.
"I think with the fans behind the team we can beat anyone, so now we have to go forward. If we can work as hard as on Wednesday and play a little bit better at times I think we will have our chances."
Regarding the manner in which the club battled to a 1-0 win in their first ever game at Real Madrid's home ground, Benitez said, "I am really pleased - pleased for the players, the team, the club and for the fans. To win here in Madrid is very difficult and I think we did a very good job. The players were working so hard - they deserved to win."
On the injury to Fernando Torres, who is expected to be sidelined for the club's weekend Premier League tie with Teesside club Middlesbrough, the Spaniard added, "The ankle was swelling so we needed to protect him."
Regarding the manager's own future, most Reds' fans will be pleased to hear that the flurry of activity that prompted bookmakers to suspend betting temporarily yesterday morning was, in fact, founded on hearsay, as Benitez said, "I was not thinking about resigning, I was thinking about trying to win. Concentrating on the game was my idea, clearly."
No comments:
Post a Comment