The Italian international, signed from Roma as a replacement for
Xabi Alonso this summer, spent much of the first three months of
the season sidelined by an ankle injury but has managed just 26
minutes of first-team action since his manager declared him
available for selection.
Aquilani’s debut came in a 15-minute cameo against Arsenal in
the Carling Cup, and he has since appeared for 10 minutes in the
2-2 Premier league draw with Birmingham and, rather derisorily,
enjoyed injury time of Liverpool’s ultimately futile win against
Debrecen in the Champions League.
But Benítez insists he is simply being cautious with a player he
sees as integral to Liverpool’s short and medium-term future.
"He has been out for longer than we expected and, because he has
been injured during the summer, he couldn’t train properly,” the
Spaniard said.
“When you have a player who is not fit, he is always going to
need time to settle in to a game. If the game is tight and he makes
mistakes, then you have a problem.
"We want to protect the player but, at the same time, we want to
keep winning games. He understands that he needs to be a little bit
fitter before he can play.”
A visit to Blackburn on Saturday is hardly the ideal time to
hand Aquilani his first league start, though he will, once again,
feature on the bench.
The dead rubber Champions League tie with Fiorentina at Anfield,
then, represents Aquilani’s best chance of a first start at his new
home before Christmas.
“We know he is a top-class player and we want to do the best for
him and the team. But the best for the player and the team
sometimes means he cannot play,” said Benítez.
