Source: SKY_Sports
Rafa - Chelsea deserved win
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez admitted they were second best after a 3-1 loss to Chelsea in their UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg.
Benitez' men took an early lead at Anfield, but after that Chelsea dominated for much of the match and went ahead through two goals from Branislav Ivanovic.
Didier Drogba made it three late on and left Liverpool with a huge task ahead of them in the second leg at Stamford Bridge.
"I felt we started really well, and after that we were not playing well, giving the ball away," Benitez told Sky Sports.
"They were passing the ball well and we lost against a good team because they played well and we didn't play to our level."
Benitez' side conceded two goals from set-pieces with the much-maligned 'zonal' marking system seemingly at fault - but he insisted that was not the case.
"Again when you are working man to man, you concede, but they are strong in the air and we conceded," he said - also insisting that Chelsea's decision to man-mark Steven Gerrard was not a major factor on the result.
"We could see that in the first minute and we talked about it, but we started really well. The main thing was we didn't play well - they scored set-pieces but it could have been open play."
Benitez admits it will be hard in the second leg but refused to give up the tie.
"Anything can happen in football, we have to play well and we have to score three goals and try to play a very good game," he continued.
"It will be difficult because Chelsea is a very good team. We have to play the 90 minutes and see what happens."
However, the Liverpool manager hopes his title-chasing team can put the result behind them and produce a winning performance in this weekend's Premier League match against Blackburn.
"We have an important game on Saturday," he added. "The Premier League is another competition and we will have to be ready."
