Rafa confident of progress
10 Dec 2007 - 10:42:24
Rafael Benitez is confident Liverpool will qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League despite their precarious position in Group A.
The Reds must effectively win in Marseille on Tuesday to reach the last 16 after a disappointing European campaign to date.
Benitez's side have lost two of their five pool matches and are currently third in the group table, but the Spaniard has called for a 'cup final' performance against the French side.
"We have experience of finals so we will do the same thing we were doing before. It is an important game but the players have experience of those," he told the club's official website.
"Since I have been here we have been in seven finals. We have won four (finals) so we have enough experience and quality in the squad to win."
"I don't think about losing. I only think about winning and I know how the team is.
"Watching these players playing well, looking happy and confident - that gives me confidence. Everything was wrong when we lost to Marseille at home.
"Marseille didn't play for 10 days before the game, they just trained and prepared for the match with us. Now we must go to their stadium - but playing there won't be a problem.
"The problem before was that we put ourselves under too much pressure in the Champions League because we lost against Marseille at home.
"I've always been confident we will get through. I always said we had to win our last three group games to get through.
"I am confident that the team's make-up is right and we can go there and win the match."