Benitez demands giant step forward

LIVERPOOL manager Rafael Benitez has spent all season talking of the “small steps” his side are taking.

But as he prepares to confront Olympiacos in Athens in tonight's Champions League clash he is demanding a giant step forward.

After seeing the Xabi Alonso- inspired crushing of Norwich in the Premiership on Saturday, the coach needs another win to keep his European revolution going.

Benitez knows that after a successful opening to Liverpool's Group A campaign that saw last season's runners-up Monaco cut down to size, three more points will leave Liverpool with one foot in the second round.

That is where Liverpool have to be to keep everyone at Anfield happy not least injured skipper Steven Gerrard who will become another target in the January transfer window.

Benitez said: "This game is very, very important. If we win an away game now in the competition it will be a very big step towards qualifying.

"Olympiacos are just starting their season, they will have only played two league matches when we meet them and that may be an advantage for us."

At the forefront of the Greek challenge will be a couple of players Benitez knows well. Olympiacos have signed Giovanni and Rivaldo, former World Footballer of the Year, and they expect much from the Brazilians.

Benitez said: "I remember Giovanni and Rivaldo playing for Barcelona when I was at Valencia, and I have no doubt they are very good players. We must pay special attention to them."

He continued: "They have good technical players and they will try to control the game and keep the ball. We will need to put together good counter-attacks, hopefully with more effectiveness than in our last away game at Manchester United."

Benitez will be without thigh-strain victim Harry Kewell as well as Gerrard, and must decide whether to play both strikers Milan Baros and Djibril Cisse or opt for a more cautious five across the middle with just one man up front.

But he knows this match will be about experience and nerve.

He said: "It will be a very intense atmosphere, games in Greece are like that. But we will have 11 experienced players and I expect them to be able to handle the situation and control the game. We must keep the ball and calm things down, keep them quiet and control the play."

That suggests Josemi will return at right-back, with Steve Finnan pushed back into the wide right midfield role. Benitez may leave out Stephen Warnock in midfield and opt for either Salif Diao or Igor Biscan, both of whom came on for a spell in Saturday's 3-0 win over the Canaries.

Benitez will need players to stand up and be counted to fill the gap left by Gerrard and he believes Dietmar Hamann and Alonso can do the job.

He said: "Hamann came on and did very well against Manchester United when Steven Gerrard was injured and is a very experienced international. He was excellent again against Norwich.

"Alonso may be young, but he has established himself with Spain and can also be a real leader. The two together can make up for Gerrard's absence."

Olympiacos started their Champions League campaign with a draw away to Deportivo La Coruna.