Benitez: We Can Beat Anyone

Ahead of Liverpool's crucial cup week, manager Rafael Benitez has urged for his players to put the club's league troubles behind them and prove their worth in the FA Cup ahd Champions League.

It has been far from a season to remember for Liverpool as we are now fast approaching March and the beginning of what is known as the 'business end' of the season.

Liverpool have been in woeful form in the league — even at home, to the shock of many — and are well off the pace for the coveted Premier League title, which they have yet to win in the competition's 15-year history.

The worries do not end there, as they are now underachieving to the point that their place in the top four is under serious threat and as a result, so is their Champions League future.

However, it's 'business' that Rafa Benitez handles best. Come what may, the man produces results and has the trophies to prove it. Nobody will be counting Liverpool out; though they were knocked out of the Carling Cup by Chelsea (who play Everton in the final in just over a week) they remain outside contenders for both the FA Cup and the Champions League.

The outside is where Benitez prefers to be; too often he has come into games the favourite and been embarrassed, while making misery for Europe's more glamorous clubs has been his fore in his tenure at Anfield and indeed before then at the Mestalla with Valencia.

So despite the fact Liverpool almost suffered incredibly embarrassing exits from both of these competitions — with Havant and Waterlooville giving them a first-half scare at Anfield in the FA Cup and Marseille being within 90 minutes of sending them crashing out of the weakest Champions League group of the lot — they are still in with a chance, something Benitez is only all too aware of.

"We know we are not doing as well in the league and we must improve, but the FA Cup and Champions League are different competitions and we can beat anyone," declared Benitez.

With Championship side Barnsley being Liverpool's fifth round opponents in this weekend's FA Cup tie, Benitez is confident there will be no element of complacency amongst his men, and that lessons have been learned from previous somewhat unpleasant experiences.

"We have a difficult game, and I say difficult because we have some experience in the Cup," he said. "Everybody says that we'll beat Barnsley but we must be careful and do the right things.

"Always when you play a team from another division you must still do your jobs properly. We have the game against Havant and Waterlooville as experience. We were thinking about scoring goals and we conceded.

"We knew before that game about the dangers, and if you remember we had a chance to score first with a Yossi Benayoun header. In this game we must not give the other team any options.

"Clearly this is a cup final for them, so it's a tough game. We also know they are physically very strong, so we must be careful. We have to give them a lot of respect.

"We have to score first and everything will be okay."

Following Barnsley, Serie A reigning champions, runaway leaders and unbeatable machine Inter will be Liverpool's next encounter, and quite how Benitez expects to come away from that with a good result yet remains to be seen.

Alonso Aims To Reclaim Reds Place

Xabi Alonso is hoping to use the FA Cup tie against Championship outfit Barnsley as a springboard towards a starting berth in an improving Liverpool side.

Xabi Alonso is ready to put his injury and form woes behind him and force his way back into the Liverpool starting XI.

The frustrated midfielder has started only 13 games this term for the Reds, but is now seemingly ready to rise to the challenge of Javier Mascherano and Lucas Leiva to reclaim his place.

"It hasn't been an easy season for me," Alonso admitted to the club’s official website.

"If you ask any player what it is like coming back from injury and they will tell you the most important thing is to get a run of games.

"That is exactly what I need now and hopefully I can get that, although I know it will be difficult because Steven [Gerrard], Javier and Lucas have all been doing well.

"But I will keep on working hard in training and hopefully my chance will come."

The 26-year-old is now targeting an impressive FA Cup showing against Barnsley at Anfield on Saturday.

Indeed, Lucas was afforded a run in the side after a superb strike against minnows Havant and Waterloovile in the last round, with Alonso targeting a similar outcome.

"You have to make sure you are ready when your chance does come, so if I am selected tomorrow I will give everything.

"It is always nice when fans tell you they like to see you in the team, and I am grateful for the support I have had from them, but now is the time for me to deliver."

In light of the wayward title challenge, Alonso has turned his thought towards the Fifth Round of England’s premier cup competition. He enjoyed winning the trophy against West Ham in 2006.

The Spaniard is keen, though, to take part in a Wembley showpiece, having celebrated at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff two years ago.

"Wembley is a big incentive for me and the rest of the players because it is such a special place to play.

"I have never played there before but Stevie, Carra [Jamie Carragher] and Crouchy [Peter Crouch] have played there for England since it was re-opened and they have all spoken about how good it is.

"That day when we beat West Ham was a very special day for the team and for myself even though I had to go off after 70 minutes because I'd picked up a knock when we played Portsmouth in the league in the game before.

"The atmosphere was fantastic and the game had everything which makes the FA Cup such a great competition."

Liverpool’s Premiership performance against Chelsea last week was a big improvement after a worrying slump. Alonso is keen to help his side put a run together and achieve in cup competition, with the Champions League also due to resume.

"The performance at Chelsea was very good, but now we have to carry that on," he continued.

"It was the first step but we need to put together a run of wins.

"We know it is going to be very difficult to challenge for the title but there are still a lot of games to play so we have to do everything we can to move up the league and try to make sure we get into the top four.

"There is still a lot for us to play for."

Liverpool Open Crouch Contract Talks

Reports of Aston Villa intensifying their interest in Peter Crouch appear to have spurred Liverpool to enter into contract extension talks with the towering striker.

Villa boss Martin O'Neill is said to be plotting a £9million bid for the 26-year-old in the summer, which in turn seems to have prompted his opposite number at Anfield to send love declarations up towards the big man's direction.

There has been serious doubt about whether Rafa still rates Crouch, but apparently the former Southampton star has a significant part to play in the Spaniard's plans after all. The England striker has been overlooked for much of the season, but he has been given the nod from the start for the last two league matches and the Liverpool brass are now hoping he will agree with minimal fuss to add to the 16 months left on his £40,000-a-week deal.

Although he has shown frustration over his lack of playing time in the past, Crouch has never hidden the fact that he would always prefer to stay at Anfield so long as he is given a fair shake.

What Benitez's sudden reaffirmation of faith in Crouch does, however, is increase the speculation over whether misfiring Dutch striker Dirk Kuyt still can count on having a Liverpool future.

Liverpool 'Closer' To Mascherano Deal

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez insists he is edging closer to completing the permanent signing of Javier Mascherano despite fresh reports linking the Argentine with a move elsewhere.

Mascherano had expected his future to be decided by the end of last week but with the situation still ongoing, Spanish daily Marca now claims the player has been offered to Barcelona. Benitez said yesterday: "We are closer than we were one week ago but I don't know how close." The 23-year-old remains on loan at Anfield from West Ham, although the player is effectively owned by the sports investment group MSI.

It is just the kind of distraction Benitez does not need following the resumption of rumours about a fresh takeover of the club from a Dubai consortium, and the ongoing possibility of legal action against a Sunday newspaper.

Benitez is still consulting his lawyers over an article referring to the manager's relationship with the club's American owners. Benitez said: "You don't like doing these things but sometimes you have got to protect yourself, and the lawyer will be in contact with them. You can have your own opinion, but when somebody is twisting things you must say stop."

Defender Martin Skrtel is a major doubt for tomorrow's FA Cup tie with Barnsley after he picked up a calf injury in training.

With Daniel Agger recovering from a metatarsal injury, it could mean a place in the squad for Spanish youngster Mikel San Jose.

Liverpool To Change Hands Again As American Owners Cash In

Liverpool are poised to change hands again - by the middle of next month - as the club's US owners close in on a double-your-money offer from Dubai.

Despite denials from Tom Hicks and George Gillett, Mirror Sport understands that an outline agreement to transfer ownership of the Anfield giants to Dubai International Capital is in the pipeline.

Sources in New York have confirmed that a £460million deal with DIC - the Dubai government's financial arm and headed by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum - is now on the verge of conclusion. Anfield fans will rejoice at the news that the two Americans' ill-starred reign is ending after a series of protests in recent weeks over their treatment of boss Rafa Benitez.

Supporters have demanded a sale to DIC, who were jilted at the end of 2006 when the Liverpool board wrongly believed the deal with the Americans would safeguard the interests of the club. Hicks is expected to stay as part of the new club directorate in the immediate aftermath of the sale.

The effective sale price is nowhere near the ambitious £1billion valuation Mirror Sport exclusively revealed was put on the club by Hicks in November. He and Gillett paid just £219m to take control of Liverpool from David Moores a year ago.

One insider said: "These talks are still ongoing. Tom and George want to make sure they get the right price for giving up the club."

Despite leaving Liverpool with a £350m debt, they will be able to walk away having made a substantial profit.

LiverpooL Are Tracking Bilbao Ace

Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle are reported to be battling it out for Athletic Bilbao defender Fernando Amorebieta.

Reports in Spain claim the Premier League trios are keeping tabs on the highly-rated centre-back.

All three clubs are believed to have watched the 22-year-old this season as they consider making a move for his signature in the summer.

Amorebieta, who has a contract with Bilbao until 2011, says he is flattered by the interest but insists he is no rush to leave San Mames.

"I'm very happy here and also that people are noticing me," said Amorebieta.

"It's nice to know people are interested in you."

Fans Are Now The Last Consideration

It must have been a busy time for the RSPCA last week. All those camels with broken backs, courtesy of the barrel-load of straws dropped on them by Richard Scudamore, the Premier League chief executive.

Ever since the creation of the Premier League, we’ve been waiting for the ‘big one’, the final assault on our game which will push the fans over the edge, and put all that’s gone before it into context as merely the preamble to the megalomaniac global expansion plans of our leading clubs.

The end of Saturday afternoon as the focal point of our week; soaring ticket prices; ever-changing football shirts with prices kept artificially high; average football players earning more in a week than most people do in a year.

All these things have served to drive a wedge between the average fan and their football club, weakening the bonds which define football as our national game, and alienating a whole generation of supporters – the average age of a Premier League fan last year was 43.

Not content with this, Scudamore now unveils the ultimate estrangement: taking a game away from us altogether, to be played on the other side of the world, accessible to us only through the omnipresent television cameras. This breathtaking audacity is justified not by the language of sport, but by the language of business: global markets, competitive positions and exporting English football.

Scudamore has attempted to explain this naked pursuit of financial gain through altruistic ambition: the additional money is needed to invest in the development of young English footballers, and to help the game at grass-roots level.

This of course has been the experience to date every time the TV deals have increased in size; there’s a positive bow wave of young English talent coming through now, displacing average African, Eastern European and, yes, Spanish players isn’t there?

Yet the most incredulous illustration of Scudamore’s gall is to be found in the sophistry he employs to defend the fatal damage to the fairness of the competition by the introduction of an additional game determined by lottery.

According to Scudamore, “every team will have an equal chance of being treated unfairly” under this system. Older readers will remember Stanley Unwin making a living out of such gobbledegook. What’s more, apparently “nobody ever said the league was supposed to be entirely fair”.

This truly appalling view of competition, tantamount to rigging the fixture list, surely calls into question Scudamore’s suitability to be chief executive of even the most brutal Sunday League, never mind our most feted.

Of course, where there’s hubris about, Professor Wenger is never far away. He’s declared his ‘in principle’ support for the idea, on the basis that “90% of (fans) who love the club never have access to the games”.

Yes Arsene, these are probably the people of Islington who can’t afford the ticket prices at the Emirates. And the real fans who deserve your consideration are not the hordes in Hong Kong or wherever who buy a shirt and would attend a novelty match in their own back yard; but those who traipse round the country every weekend in all weathers, at inconvenient times determined by the TV companies, spending sizeable proportions of their income supporting the team they grew up with.

In short, the 800 or so Havant & Waterlooville fans who turn up for the average home game, not the other 5,200 who made the trip to Anfield.

The depressing reality is that this abomination will happen, and will expand until the rest of the world realises there’s a reason why even people from Middlesbrough don’t turn out to watch Middlesbrough play. Sydney? There’ll be no-one watching in Kirkby.

Liverpool Linked With Nigerian Star, More DIC Takeover Claims, & Bizarre Torres Exit Stories

Liverpool are being linked with a summer swoop for Nigerian striker Osaze Odemwingie.

The forward has impressed many in the recent African Cup of Nations in Ghana,

According to reports on Brilafm.net, the Locomotiv Moscow striker could be making an £8 million pound move from Russia to Liverpool in the summer.

The site even goes so far as to claim scout Marc Guinness has been tasked with monitoring the player.

Andriy Voronin is the player tipped to leave if Odemwingie comes in.

Meanwhile, John Arne Riise is being linked with a £6million move to Aston Villa.

Riise, who is having an indifferent season, is one of a number of players being tipped to leave in the summer.

The rumour mill has been alive with claims Xabi Alonso will return to Spain while it is also suggested Premier League and Spanish big guns may bid up to £40million for Fernando Torres if Liverpool don’t qualify for the Champions League.

Other, perhaps slightly less random rumours, include Sami Hyppia to Celtic, Harry Kewell to a MLS side and Peter Crouch to Portsmouth.

In addition, Tom Hicks insists he isn’t selling, but that hasn’t stopped the rumours linking Dubai’s DIC with a fresh takeover.

Reports now say DIC are believed to be targetting George Gillett's 50% stake in the club and once they secure a deal will then turn their attentions to the remaining shares held by fellow American Hicks.

The reports also suggest the deal would spell the end for Rafa Benitez. The story began life yesterday in The Sun, whose sister paper, The News of the World, was described as “one of the two newspapers everyone on Merseyside knows you can’t trust” after it attempted to strike up a fresh feud between Benitez and the owners.

Sources are quoted as saying: "The Dubai investors are not convinced Benitez is the right man for Liverpool.

"They have been far from impressed by his very public rows with the current owners and even less impressed with the way Liverpool are struggling for consistency in the Premier League. Like all foreign owners, they crave Champions League football, for financial and emotional reasons.

“If Liverpool failed to qualify for next season's tournament, they would regard it as catastrophic."

Mascherano Desperate For Silverware

Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano is determined to taste success this season after double disappointment last year.

The Argentina international suffered an unwanted double last season, losing in both the Champions League final and Copa America final within the space of a couple of months.

Mascherano is keen to make up for those disappointments, and is hoping to help Liverpool to success in the FA Cup and Champions League this term.

"When you lose any final, it's painful," Mascherano said.

"But suffering defeat in such a massive game as the Champions League or Copa America last year was really hard to take.

"Even when I was back in South America I always watched the European Cup games and loved it.

"It's the most important title you can win in club football and we were so close to doing it.

"This time, winning one would be really nice.

"Hopefully, it will happen this season in the Champions League or FA Cup because I don't want another silver medal - I prefer gold!

"I just love playing in these big cup games with Liverpool. I went from not playing at West Ham to being involved in some huge occasions.

"It doesn't get any better than this. Hopefully, there are a few more great days and nights around the corner."

Mascherano is currently on loan at Anfield, but a permanent deal is in the pipeline at Anfield.

The all-action midfielder is hoping the move can be finalised as soon as possible so that he can concentrate on his game.

"The sooner things get sorted out with Liverpool the better," added Mascherano.

"I want to be settled and kill myself on the pitch so the team wins lots of games."

DIC Agree Liverpool Deal - Reports

DIC are reportedly on the verge of completing their takeover of Liverpool.

According to The Daily Mirror, the Dubai International Capital group - the investment arm of the Dubai government - have reached an 'outline agreement' with current owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett to buy the club for around £460million.

The Mirror claims that 'sources in New York' have confirmed that a deal is in place, and could be completed by the middle of March.

DIC failed in their initial bid to buy Liverpool when Hicks and Gillett took over in 2007, but are now prepared to effectively double the Americans' money for the club.

Hicks and Gillett recently completed a £350million refinancing deal on the money they borrowed to buy the club, which left Liverpool saddled with around £105million of debt.

While Rafa Benitez has, to put it mildly, had his disagreements with Hicks and Gillett, the takeover might not be the best news for him after all.

Reports earlier this week suggested that DIC were not convinced that Benitez was the right man to take Liverpool forward, having been less than impressed with his public rows with the current owners.

Rafa Handed Quadruple Fitness Boost

Rafa Benitez has been handed a quadruple fitness boost ahead of the forthcoming Cup double-header – but has yet to decide whether to risk his returning stars in the first clash against Barnsley on Saturday.

Fernando Torres was involved in part of yesterday's training session alongside fellow absentees Sami Hyypia, Alvaro Arbeloa and Fabio Aurelio.

All four could be available for the FA Cup fifth round, but with Inter Milan arriving at Anfield just three days later, Benitez has some tricky decisions ahead.

"I need to consider both games but I know it's important to progress in the FA Cup, so I will try to use a strong team," the boss told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"Sami Hyypia is improving. He did the warm up and could be available, but we will have to analyse the situation. Torres also did the warm up, as well as Fabio Aurelio and Alvaro Arbeloa, and they are really close.

"Now it is about whether we will take the risk or not.

"For Inter, Torres will be okay. We will have to check before Barnsley."

Liverpool Manager Mulling Legal Action

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez could be about to take legal action against a British newspaper for reporting that he blamed the club's owners for its failure to challenge for the Premier League title.

Sunday paper The News Of The World reported last week that Benitez blamed the efforts of Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr. to speak to Juergen Klinsmann about becoming the club's new coach for Liverpool's poor performances.

But Benitez denies the accusation and the paper's apparent assertion that he had spoken with its reporter before it ran the story on Feb. 10 under the headline "It's Your Fault: Rafa In New Blast At Owners."

The Spanish coach has appointed lawyer Richard Green, who on Wednesday sent a letter to the paper and its reporter to inform them of the intended proceedings.

Benitez said that the paper misrepresented an interview he did the previous day with Spanish daily El Mundo.

Benitez said the question from El Mundo, translated into English, was: "The owners were lacking faith in your work a couple of months ago when the team was six points behind the leaders with a game in hand. Has this issue influenced the progress of the team?"

His reply was allegedly: "As a coach, you could say yes. It would be the perfect excuse, but I don't want to use it."

Benitez had already spoken about his anger toward the paper and the story before Sunday's 0-0 league draw at Chelsea, which left his club 19 points behind leader Arsenal.

"Everybody in Liverpool knows that there are two newspapers that you cannot trust," Benitez said. "This is one of them.

"He (the reporter) talks of it being an exclusive, but the journalist is lying. I was talking with the Spanish press. He was manipulating everything."

Liverpool's Guthrie Wants Bolton Stay

Liverpool-owned midfielder Danny Guthrie has indicated that he would welcome the chance to extend his on-loan stay at Bolton beyond the end of the season.

20-year-old Guthrie was snapped up by Liverpool after being released by Manchester United and impressed with his performances for the club's Academy side.

His opportunities for the Liverpool first team, however, have been few and far between.

After a moderate start to his spell at The Reebok, the youngster has settled well and admits that the chance of playing in high profile games like Thursday's Uefa Cup tie with Athletico Madrid has persuaded him that a permanent move to Gary Megson's club may be in his best interests.

"A lot can happen between now and the end of the season, but I could see myself staying here," he told the Manchester Evening News.

"However, it's up to people above me to decide what happens.

"I'm sure Liverpool have been monitoring my progress but I haven't spoken to anyone.

"In terms of me staying, it is what the two clubs want to do and then it comes down to me.

"I came to Bolton to play regularly but it's a bonus to play against the likes of Athletico Madrid," stated Guthrie.

He added that he had settled well in his new surroundings and was enjoying getting first team football.

"I'm loving it now. When I first came I wasn't getting too much of a look-in. But I'm involved on a regular basis now."

Bolton play Athletico Madrid in the Uefa Cup on Thursday at the Reebok Stadium.

Torres Could Be Back By This Weekend

Fernando Torres' recovery from injury is going according to schedule meaning that there is a good chance that he will be ready in time to face Barnsley in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday.

The Spanish super striker strained his hamstring while on international duty last Wednesday and was a big miss during Liverpool's scoreless stalemate away to Chelsea yesterday.

Although the prognosis from the Anfield medical department predicted that he would only be out of action for between 7-10 days, the confirmation that he is mending well will come as a big relief to Reds' fans around the world, in light of the massively important Champions League second-round encounter with Italian champions Inter coming up on February 19.

"Maybe he can be available for the weekend against Barnsley. We have time," said Liverpool coach Rafa Benitez.

"The physios are working with him. He could be okay."

Torres, 23, has quickly established himself as Liverpool's most important striker since his high-profile move from Atletico Madrid this summer, having already bagged 18 goals just over halfway through his debut season.

Reds Told To Lose Draw Habit

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard has warned his team-mates they will miss out on next season's Champions League if they do not quickly shake off a costly habit of drawing matches they should win.

A goalless stalemate at Chelsea on Sunday was the Reds' 11th draw of the season.

And while Gerrard took encouragement from aspects of his side's performance, the reality was that Manchester City, Aston Villa and Everton all won at the weekend, thereby gaining ground in the battle for fourth spot.

"Our form has been very inconsistent of late, but the performance against Chelsea was very pleasing and something that we can now build on," Gerrard told the club's website, www.liverpoolfc.tv.

"A lack of consistency has been our problem this season, along with drawing games that we should have won. Coming to Stamford Bridge and getting a point is acceptable, but to draw certain games like we have at home this season, like against Aston Villa and Wigan, they are the most frustrating things."

Liverpool have not won away at Chelsea, Manchester United or Arsenal since Rafael Benitez took over as manager at Anfield in 2004, and that record added to the disappointment with Sunday's result.

"When you control games like that away from home, it's disappointing not to take maximum points," Gerrard added. "It would be a waste if we don't kick on from this and keep on drawing games that we should be winning.

"But not many teams go to Chelsea and get a point, so it's a positive result to build on."

Gerrard Ready To Sscrap For Another Crack At Europe's Big Guns

Steven Gerrard admits Liverpool are in the midst of a dogfight to claim a Champions League spot despite an excellent display to gain a draw at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

The Reds are now three points behind fourth-placed Everton, albeit with a game in hand, following the Toffees' victory over Reading. With Aston Villa and Man City also claiming three points at the weekend, there appears to be four genuine contenders vying for entry into European football's top competition.

Gerrard knows he and his team-mates must now perform like they did against Chelsea week in, week out in order to thwart one of the new pretenders breaking up the so-called big four.

"We've now got to focus on fighting for this fourth place and we realise it's going to be difficult." said the skipper.

"There are a lot of teams around us in good form and playing well, so it's important we don't let our standards drop – otherwise we won't get fourth."

While recognising the challenge ahead, Gerrard believes Liverpool supporters can take great heart from the commitment present throughout the team on Sunday.

He explained: "I think this is the benchmark for us now in terms of the character we showed.

"Certain players who've had a bit of criticism of late played very well and it was a good team performance against a side that have been playing very well lately. There are a lot of positives.

"All round you can't fault any player. I said in an interview a couple of days ago that you need every player to perform when you come to places like Stamford Bridge, and I think we got that.

"I've been here before and we've been dominated for large periods of the game, but I think we controlled the majority of the match and it felt out there like we could have maybe snatched it.

"It's definitely an improvement on how we've been playing of late. Defensively we looked more solid and we were the better side over the 90 minutes. If anyone was going to win it, I thought it was going to be us."

Liverpool's trip to Stamford Bridge will be followed later in the season by visits to Old Trafford and the Emirates, grounds where, of late, few points have been obtained.

Gerrard added: "When we do go to those places we've got to perform like we did here, and maybe an extra five or 10 per cent can see us snatch a win.

"I just thought we lacked a tiny bit of cutting edge in the final third, but I can't fault many other things. I thought it was a good team performance."

Reina Looks Forward To Next 50 Clean Sheets With Reds

Pepe Reina has set his sights on another 50 shut-outs in goal for Liverpool after breaking Ray Clemence's record.

The Spanish goalkeeper recently achieved 50 clean sheets in the shortest time in the club's history — and believes the record is a team effort.

"It's nice to reach these kind of numbers – I am very proud," said Reina. "But, as I've said many times, it's not just down to me.

"The whole of the team defends and the back four have been in good form in the three years I've been here.

"Now I look forward to another 50."

Reina kept the 51st clean sheet of his Liverpool career against Chelsea on Sunday.

He said: "We played really well and created some chances, and a draw is always a good result at Stamford Bridge. It's always difficult to beat them down there – I think it's been four years since anyone did that.

"It's a difficult stadium against a really top side, so we have to be really happy about the score and some of the things we did during the game.

"We have to keep playing like this, with a solid defence and creating chances in attack."

Lucas: I Rejected Inter For Liverpool

Lucas Leiva has revealed ahead of next week’s Champions League clash with Inter Milan that he rejected a move to the Italian champions in order to sign for Liverpool.

The 21-year-old joined The Reds from Gremio last summer for €12m but Inter were also in the running to sign him.

"I was in a fortunate position at Gremio because I had achieved some success and I was made a lot of very interesting offers - offers which would have made a lot of money,” Lucas told Liverpool’s official magazine.

"Some of them were in Spain and it's true I had an enquiry from Inter Milan too.

"I could have gone to Spain or Italy and it would have been more like I am used to. But I want to make the most of my career and I want to challenge myself.

"They were all famous clubs but the Liverpool option stood out from the first moment I heard of their interest. Inter and Liverpool meet at Anfield a week today in the first leg of their last 16 Champions League tie.

Lucas has stressed thought that he made the right decision in rejecting the Nerazzurri, and believes Liverpool can beat them.

"I have friends from the international team at Inter; Cesar and Maicon are great players and I will enjoy playing against them,” he continued.

"But I would much rather play for Liverpool than Inter. That was my decision then and it would be the same if I had to make it again.

"I think we have the tools to beat Inter, but it will be an exciting game and my first time - hopefully - playing at the San Siro."

Figo Likely To Miss Liverpool Match

Inter boss Roberto Mancini believes that is unlikely that Luis Figo will be ready to play against Liverpool next week.

The Nerazzurri travel to Anfield a week today in one of three mouth-watering Champions League ties involving Italian teams.

Inter have injury problems going into the game as Dejan Stankovic, Maicon, Hernan Crespo and Santiago Solari are all struggling, while Luis Figo is only just returning to fitness after suffering a broken leg in November.

"I left out three or four important players [against Catania on Sunday],” said Mancini.

"I hope to recover those players that are injured although I'm not sure Luis Figo will be able to play against Liverpool."

Mancini is under no illusions that his team is in for a very difficult game against the 2005 Champions League winners.

"Liverpool is a very tough team to play against," he said. "They are difficult opponents, that don't give you many spaces.

"Liverpool have proved to be in good form."

These two European giants have only met once competitively in the past and that was in the semi-final of the European Cup back in 1964/1965.

In a classic tie, Liverpool won the first leg 3-1 at Anfield, only to lose 3-0 in the return leg at San Siro and exit the competition 4-3 on aggregate.

The match in Italy was a controversial affair as Liverpool players believe that Joaquin Peiró’s goal for Inter should have been disallowed after he stole a bounced ball from Liverpool goalkeeper Tommy Lawrence.

Campo - Reds Saved Torres

Bolton's Ivan Campo believes Atletico Madrid were in danger of damaging Fernando Torres.

Torres has been in outstanding form since last summer's £26.5million move to Liverpool, scoring 18 goals so far this season.

Campo believes Atletico relied to heavily on Torres, and in turn, too much pressure was heaped on the 23-year-old.

But the Bolton midfielder feels that Torres' switch to Anfield will assist him in becoming a much better player.

He told AS: "Nobody shared the role of leader with him at Atletico, the pressure of such an important club. Such a young person is not ready to take so much pressure.

"In England he has calm, confidence and a team which plays for him. At Atletico they wanted him to do so many things that they could have damaged him.

"Having to give so much really takes it out of you."

Campo also believes that there is more respect for players in English football, compared to Spain.

"For a player in England respect is the most important thing. People always demand you play well, but they do so respectfully," he continued.

"What I've experienced here in England does not happen in Spain. There is no respect at a personal nor professional level."