LIVERPOOL HUMILIATE REAL MADRID
Now bring on United, says bullish Benitez
Buoyed by Liverpool's 4-0 Champions League demolition of Real Madrid at Anfield, Rafa Benitez insisted the Reds can force their way back into the Premier League title race with a win at Old Trafford on Saturday.
In the build up to Tuesday night's clash with Madrid, Benitez suggested Liverpool did not receive the respect they deserved for their European exploits, but after inflicting the heaviest Champions League defeat in Real's history the plaudits fooded in.
A 5-0 aggregate win against the nine-time European champions claimed a place in the quarter-finals and also means the Reds are brimming with confidence ahead of this weekend's clash with Premier League leaders Manchester United, who are seven points clear at the top.
"This is the best way to approach the Manchester United game," said Benitez. "When you have an important game coming up and the players are playing this well and scoring four goals against a team like Real Madrid, you have to be pleased.
"We play a very good team on Saturday and we have to win. If we can reduce the gap we will be in the title race but we have to wait and see what happens at Old Trafford.
"Hopefully we have given Manchester United something to think about but they have a very good team. At least we will approach the game with a lot of confidence."
Steven Gerrard scored twice in his 100th European game for the club with Fernando Torres and Andrea Dossena completing the crushing victory. And Benitez was able to hit back at the critics who have branded him a defensive coach, particularly in his Spanish homeland.
He said: "Yes, 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.
"We are ranked the number one club in Europe by UEFA over the last five years and a result like this against a great club like Real Madrid is very pleasing."
And following Liverpool's victory the Spanish newspapers were quick to heap praise on Rafa's Reds. A typical reaction came from Jose Samano in El Pais, who wrote: "Liverpool had everything that Real lacked: energy, purpose, aplomb, speed, shape and flair.
"They were facing a team reduced to rag dolls. It was an exercise in demolition, with an imperious Torres and Gerrard and (Xabi) Alonso and (Javier) Mascherano running the show."
Pictures of a tearful-looking Iker Casillas contrasted with shots of his jubilant international colleague Torres, and the Spanish champions were variously dismissed as "pathetic", "lamentable" and "provincial".
The English press were equally gushing in praise of Liverpool's win with The Times declaring it "a result that will resonate through Europe and go down in the modern history of both clubs".
The Daily Mail said Liverpool simply "pulverised" Real. "There is no other word for it," wrote columnist Martin Samuel. "Fittingly for a team nick-named The Meringues, Real Madrid were splattered and dispersed over a wide area of Anfield in the manner of an airy fairy dessert.
"One that has been run over by a steamroller. Then another one then. Then a herd of rampaging elephants. Driving more steamrollers." The Independent added: "This was Liverpool playing like European royalty, delivering a four-goal cuffing to Real Madrid, their biggest defeat in the Champions League.
"This was European football's most successful club humiliated, eliminated, eviscerated. A rout."
