Liverpool Football Club News

• Nickname:Reds
• Founded:1892
• Manager:Kenny Dalglish

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Benitez takes aim at critics

11 Mar 2009 - 07:26:40

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Rafael Benitez hopes Liverpool's 4-0 Champions League rout of Real Madrid will finally end suggestions that he is a cautious coach of a negative side.

The Reds roared into the last eight following their second-leg demolition of the Spanish champions with two goals from Steven Gerrard and one each from Fernando Torres and Andrea Dossena securing a 5-0 aggregate win.

But after the match, Benitez was in combative mood and used the opportunity to turn on his critics.

"I know people in Spain think that my teams do not attack, but look at this result and look at the 119 goals we scored last season. That says something different," he said.

"We are ranked the number one club in Europe and a result like this against a great club like Real Madrid is very pleasing.

"We played really well from beginning to the end and I am really pleased for the fans.

"Torres and Gerrard played very well, but I do not like to talk about one or two players, everyone was very good, from the first to the last on the pitch."

Meanwhile, Benitez claimed preparation was behind his side's impressive European form during his reign.

The Spaniard has come under fire for failing to preside over a sustained challenge for the Premier League title during his time at Anfield, but in Europe it has been a different story for the continent's number one ranked club side.

"Why are we so good in Europe? I cam only say that we approach European games with confidence and in the right way," he continued.

"They were expecting us to play deep and play on the counter-attack, but we were on top of them right from the start and they never really recovered from that opening spell.

"The last five years this team has been very good in Europe, we have shown that continually. Our fans appreciate that and understand what we have achieved."