Reds' big week starts with unfinished business

Liverpool FC manager Rafael Benítez is hoping three key players can recover from injury in time to play when they defend their 1-0 lead over Real Madrid CF in the UEFA Champions League first knockout round second leg at Anfield on Tuesday.

Trio doubtful
Midfielder Yossi Benayoun, whose late header earned Liverpool their narrow victory in Madrid, is rated as the most doubtful with a damaged hamstring, but Benítez is also closely monitoring the fitness of striker Fernando Torres, who has an ankle strain, and full-back Álvaro Arbeloa, who has suffered hamstring problems. Benítez said: "He [Torres] was training yesterday and today and we have one more session, so we have time and then we will decide tomorrow [Tuesday]." The Spaniard conceded that Benayoun is unlikely to feature, adding: "[Daniel] Agger is not available [with a back injury], and it is the same situation for Arbeloa as for Torres." Winger Albert Riera is definitely out as a yellow card in the first leg earned him a suspension.

Weekend rest
With their FA Cup campaign already over, Liverpool had the weekend off and they have not played since beating Sunderland AFC 2-0 in the English Premier League on 3 March. After leading the way for much of the season, Liverpool have slipped back to third place, behind Chelsea FC on goal difference, and seven points adrift of frontrunners Manchester United FC, who the Reds face at Old Trafford on Saturday. "It's an important week, that is clear," Benítez admitted. "If we beat United we can still be in the title race, but if we don't it will be very, very difficult. Winning the tie [against Madrid] is the most important thing. When you are doing things properly, sometimes you don't need to win the match to progress."

Gago crucial
Madrid welcomed back Argentina midfielder Fernando Gago to the team on Saturday following his ankle sprain, as city rivals Club Atlético de Madrid halted Los Merengues' ten-match winning run in the Liga in a 1-1 draw at the Santiago Bernabéu. The result left Madrid in second spot, six points behind leaders FC Barcelona. Coach Juande Ramos said he has a fully fit squad of 20 to choose from against Liverpool and he stated that Gago is a key component of his lineup: "A lot of what we have been able to achieve in our great run of results in the league has been down the excellent efforts of Gago and the rest of that central midfield."

Confident mood
Ramos urged the nine-time European champions to believe in themselves at Anfield and he gave an upbeat assessment of their prospects: "We know we are at half-time in this tie as 90 minutes have been played and there are 90 minutes still to play," the former Tottenham Hotspur FC and Sevilla FC boss said. "We are confident we can go out and turn things around and reverse this deficit. However much we talk about tactics, the important thing is that the players go out convinced they can actually do this and pull off the right result and give a good account of themselves. We have to work as hard as we possibly can to ensure that has every chance of happening."