We will pull off great escape: Benitez
We will pull off great escape: Benitez
17:07, November 06, 2009 
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LYON, France: Liverpool will overcome seemingly impossible odds and qualify for the knockout rounds of the Champions League, insisted their increasingly embattled manager Rafael Benitez.
The Spaniard - who has overseen Liverpool's worst run in over 50 years of just one win in their past eight matches - was speaking after seeing seven-time French champions Lyon steal a 1-1 draw in the last minute of their match.
The draw sent Lyon through to the last 16 - deservedly so given their three wins from three previous matches - but left Liverpool in a decidedly parlous position on four points, five behind Italian side Fiorentina with two matches remaining.
However, Benitez, who was not helped by a lengthy injury list including talismanic captain Steven Gerrard and who played a clearly not 100 percent fit Fernando Torres, was adamant it would be Liverpool and not Fiorentina who reached the knockout round.
""Will we perform a great escape? Yeah we will," said the former Valencia coach, who may well come to rue the selling of Xabi Alonso in the summer.
"I certainly don't think it is over as far as we are concerned. Of course it depends on Fiorentina (they next host Lyon and then travel to Liverpool in the final match).
"We have to win and score goals," said the 49-year-old who has brought the 2005 Champions League trophy and the 2006 FA Cup to Anfield during his tenure.
Benitez, who guided Valencia to two league titles and the UEFA Cup, said he had been proud of his team and the manner in which it had played.
"We deserved to win and to concede a goal in the last minute is really really unlucky. However, the players showed character and there were a lot of positives to take out of this performance.
"The players realize we have problems but they were great. We were much better this evening (Wednesday). These things (the injuries and the run) can happen in football."
Benitez was also happy to see young Dutch striker Ryan Babel get on the scoresheet - with a stunning long-range strike after coming on as a substitute - after rarely performing to his potential while at Anfield and which has seen him look for a move to Ajax.
"Ryan has the ability to change a game," said Benitez.
"He is a good player for us. But I want to see the best of him more often."
His Lyon counterpart, Claude Puel, was delighted and relieved to have reached the knockout stages with two games to spare.
"We have mastered the art of writing particular screenplays throughout the season," said the former Monaco and Lille handler. "We were very courageous till the end in order to equalize and to qualify this evening."
Puel, who himself had injury worries and had to replace two of his starting XI in the first half, said Benitez and Liverpool should not worry that Lyon will take the trip to Fiorentina lightly now they had qualified.
Source:China Daily/AFP
The Spaniard - who has overseen Liverpool's worst run in over 50 years of just one win in their past eight matches - was speaking after seeing seven-time French champions Lyon steal a 1-1 draw in the last minute of their match.
The draw sent Lyon through to the last 16 - deservedly so given their three wins from three previous matches - but left Liverpool in a decidedly parlous position on four points, five behind Italian side Fiorentina with two matches remaining.
However, Benitez, who was not helped by a lengthy injury list including talismanic captain Steven Gerrard and who played a clearly not 100 percent fit Fernando Torres, was adamant it would be Liverpool and not Fiorentina who reached the knockout round.
""Will we perform a great escape? Yeah we will," said the former Valencia coach, who may well come to rue the selling of Xabi Alonso in the summer.
"I certainly don't think it is over as far as we are concerned. Of course it depends on Fiorentina (they next host Lyon and then travel to Liverpool in the final match).
"We have to win and score goals," said the 49-year-old who has brought the 2005 Champions League trophy and the 2006 FA Cup to Anfield during his tenure.
Benitez, who guided Valencia to two league titles and the UEFA Cup, said he had been proud of his team and the manner in which it had played.
"We deserved to win and to concede a goal in the last minute is really really unlucky. However, the players showed character and there were a lot of positives to take out of this performance.
"The players realize we have problems but they were great. We were much better this evening (Wednesday). These things (the injuries and the run) can happen in football."
Benitez was also happy to see young Dutch striker Ryan Babel get on the scoresheet - with a stunning long-range strike after coming on as a substitute - after rarely performing to his potential while at Anfield and which has seen him look for a move to Ajax.
"Ryan has the ability to change a game," said Benitez.
"He is a good player for us. But I want to see the best of him more often."
His Lyon counterpart, Claude Puel, was delighted and relieved to have reached the knockout stages with two games to spare.
"We have mastered the art of writing particular screenplays throughout the season," said the former Monaco and Lille handler. "We were very courageous till the end in order to equalize and to qualify this evening."
Puel, who himself had injury worries and had to replace two of his starting XI in the first half, said Benitez and Liverpool should not worry that Lyon will take the trip to Fiorentina lightly now they had qualified.
Source:China Daily/AFP
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