Alberto Aquilani watch: More to come from Liverpool's Little Prince

10 December 2009 05:00
Alberto Aquilani 300[LNB]THERE has been a banner in the corner of the Kop this season saluting the arrival of Alberto Aquilani.[LNB]It proudly states 'Il Principino - A Hero Has Arrived' and depicts the Italian as a gladiator ready for battle.[LNB]It's been about the only chance Liverpool supporters have had to see the lesser-spotted midfielder at Anfield over the past four months.[LNB]However, last night they finally got to have a proper look at the player dubbed the 'Little Prince' by the Roma fans who adored him.[LNB]This is who Rafa Benitez deemed worthy of splashing half of his summer transfer kitty on. The man tasked with filling the massive void created by Xabi Alonso's move to Real Madrid and transforming a miserable campaign in which one crushing setback has swiftly followed another.[LNB]Aquilani didn't set the world alight on his full Liverpool debut, but his promising 75-minute display at least provided some much needed cheer on another European night which had a bitter late twist in the tale.[LNB]Since the 25-year-old made the switch from Roma in a £18million deal back in August and signed a five-year contract he's had to endure one long tale of woe.[LNB]Rehabilitation following the ankle surgery he underwent back in May took much longer than anticipated.[LNB]Then a virus handed him another setback, while his bid to prove to Benitez he's in good enough physical condition for action has been painfully slow going.[LNB]Last night's first start arrived some 124 days after he first signed on the dotted line and seven weeks to the day since he pulled on a red shirt for the first time in a reserve team fixture against Sunderland.[LNB]The combined sum of his first team career since that run out at Prenton Park had been 25 minutes with a late cameo at Arsenal in the Carling Cup followed by even briefer outings against Birmingham and Debrecen.[LNB]Benitez has not so much wrapped his prized signing in cotton wool as put him in polystyrene blocks and covered him in bubble wrap.[LNB]The message from the manager had been clear. He wouldn't risk a player who wasn't match fit in finely balanced games.[LNB]Benitez believed it wouldn't do Aquilani or the team any favours.

Source: Liverpool_Echo