Benitez on the defensive
25 Oct 2007 - 08:04:47
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez remained calm after seeing his side slip to a 2-1 defeat to Besiktas in Turkey to leave their Champions League hopes hanging by a thread.
The reverse leaves the Reds with just one point from their first three games in Group A and almost certainly needing to win their last three fixtures to progress to the knockout stages.
However, a defiant Benitez said: "I was pleased with the performance, but we just could not take our chances.
"We were punished for one mistake in the first half having had so many chances. Their goalkeeper was outstanding but we should have taken more of our chances.
"Obviously it is very difficult now for us to get through, but I believe we still can. There are three games left and we must win all three, but we can do that.
"We have to wait to see now what we must do, how the numbers add up. The fact that Porto drew with Marseille in the other group game was a help for us, it certainly improves our options.
"If we continue to play like we did in this match, with so much dominance, we have a chance.
"I do not see this as a test for me as a manager, this is football, if you keep doing the right things like we did here, we will achieve what we want."