It is fair to say that Liverpool have not exactly approached their Europa League campaign this season with boundless enthusiasm.
A club that has been European champions five times is bound to see the competition as a consolation prize to Champions League football.
Stuck on Channel Five and playing the likes of FK Rabotnicki and Trabzonspor was always going to leave the Liverpool fans uninspired in the early stages of the competition.
Such is the format of the tournament and the poor quality of opposition, Liverpool knew their progress to the knockout stages was little more than a formality.
Even in the last 32 clashes against Sparta Prague, there was a sense of deflation, a hint of sorrow that it was not them facing a team like Barcelona or AC Milan in the Champions League.
But Liverpool is a club founded on a winning mentality, and the Europa League remains a prestigious competition – you just have to wait until the latter stages before it becomes interesting.
Both Reds managers this season, Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish, have fielded weakened teams in Europe, using it to rotate the squad and blood youngsters.
Four goalless draws in the Europa League suggests following Liverpool this season has hardly been full of excitement.
The two games against Sparta – a tie which the Reds eventually won 1-0 on aggregate – could easily be prescribed as a sleeping aid for insomniacs such was the tedium.
But Liverpool is a club built on winning things, Dalglish is a manager who knows the value of a major trophy.
And fans will remember fondly back to 2001, the last of three triumphs in this competition – then the Uefa Cup – which was sealed with a 5-4 victory over Alaves after extra-time.
On Thursday, the Reds travel to Portugal to face Braga for the first leg of their last 16 tie and the sense is that this is the stage where the Europa League really gets going.
The likes of Ajax, Porto, Villarreal, Benfica and Manchester City are all still in the competition and all of a sudden it no longer looks so inferior to the Champions League.
Liverpool will now put the borefests behind them and go for glory as they look to build on the confidence of their fine form in the Premier League.
Andy Carroll is expected to feature against Braga after making his debut as a substitute in Sunday's 3-1 victory over bitter rivals Manchester United, but Steven Gerrard has been ruled out of the clash.
Luis Suarez, an instant hit with the Kop, is cup-tied but Dirk Kuyt will start after his hat-trick heroics at Anfield on Sunday.
And with midfielder Raul Meireles also in great attacking form, the Reds will step up their game at this stage of the competition and show they are taking it more seriously through a positive approach.
They will have to, of course. Braga is a far better team than any that Liverpool have faced in the Europa League this campaign.
Just ask Arsenal. The Gunners lost 2-0 at Braga in the Champions League in November as they came up against a well-drilled, well-organized side.
The Portuguese outfit may not boast star names like Liverpool, but it promises to be a very tricky tie, especially with Gerrard absent.
Carroll's presence could be enough to ignite Liverpool as he looks to make an impact after his £35 million switch from Newcastle on the last day of the January transfer window.
The Reds insist they are focused on winning the Europa League, the only trophy now available this season.
Expect them to now start to prove it – beginning on Thursday.
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