Benitez content after ‘perfect day’
The Anfield boss has been the subject of continued criticism this season as his expensively-assembled team put themselves on the brink of slumping out of Europe’s elite competition, while failing to fire in the Barclays Premier League despite still being unbeaten in domestic competition.
The demands on Benitez and the club to deliver on all fronts even saw talk of him being axed, despite dismissive responses from American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
Liverpool and Benitez needed a strong statement to return perspective to the argument — and an 8-0 rout of dreadful Besiktas was just the job.
A few hours before last night’s crucial Champions League Group A showdown started at a vibrant Anfield, the club had received the expected go-ahead from the city planners for their revamped £400 million new stadium in Stanley Park.
Benitez, sometimes an irritating perfectionist, had to be pushed into his “perfect” appraisal, but he finally allowed the words from his lips.
He said: “I suppose it is the perfect day, it was very positive for the club to put themselves in the record books with eight goals and the biggest-ever Champions League win on the day that we were told we could have our new stadium.
“To produce a result and a record score on the same day as the stadium is given the go-ahead has made many people very happy. It was almost my perfect day!”
But Benitez knows it is not all perfect just yet, with wins needed against group leaders Porto at Anfield on November 28 and then in Marseille on December 11 to salvage Liverpool’s place in the last 16.
It could all come down to head-to-head results and goals scored in the end, so eight will have helped enormously.
Benitez added: “I do not feel the players had on their minds that there was pressure on me and the club. I feel they only knew they needed to win, and they knew they have succeeded in different matches in the past.
“I recall the game against Olympiacos a couple of years ago. We needed to win by two goals and could not afford to concede. But we let one in late in the first half and that gave us a real problem to qualify.
“We had to go out and score three then in the second half. But we achieved that, and now my team has the experience of playing under great pressure and reaching their objectives, however hard.
“Now we must do it twice more and we know our confidence is back.”
He added: “Everybody can now believe we can beat Porto, and then Marseille. We have reaffirmed our strength in Europe, we can be there and qualify because we have done this before.”
Liverpool’s victory was the biggest winning margin in the 15 years of Champions League football, but their European history and pedigree is far greater than that.
It was equal fourth in their all-time European records: they hit 11 against Stromgodset in the Cup winners’ cup in 1974 and have put 10 past Finnish club Oulun Palloseura (European Cup, 1980) and Dundalk (Fairs Cup, 1969).
Benitez said: “We have made a statement with the victory. The team showed character and quality, they showed they were hungry.
“There were a lot of positive things. It was a good game with a lot of goals, different goals, from different players.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
