Rafael Benitez aims to make it two Champions
League wins out of two on Tuesday night and insists Liverpool can
"beat anyone" in Europe.
Liverpool have won six games in succession and beat Hungarian
champion Debrecen 1-0 in their opening Group E match a fortnight
ago. If the Reds can win against Fiorentina in the Stadio Artemio
Franchi on Tuesday night, then a place in the last 16 would be
within their grasp.
Benitez, whose team will be without hamstring victim Javier
Mascherano, said: "The Champions League is a very different and
difficult competition, but we have confidence we can beat
anyone.
"The Champions League, if you start winning consistently,
becomes massive. We got three points against Debrecen and if we can
win against Fiorentina it will be a very good step forward.
"Because then we maybe have to win two more at home and that will
be enough to qualify."
Liverpool thrashed Hull 6-1 at the weekend, and Benitez said: "I
think we can take this mentality into the Champions League, because
the team is playing with confidence and scoring goals and playing
good football.
"It is easy for the players and the staff to have the same
mentality. "I am sure it will be different because Fiorentina are a
very organised team so it will be more difficult to play good
football but we will try."
Benitez has shrugged off criticism of his side's recent
defensive lapses, and pointed to the positives of a stunning
24-goal haul so far this term.
The Anfield chief knows, too, that Spanish striker Fernando
Torres has a lot to do with the goals rush, having hit eight in
eight games this term. He insists that the team's attacking
approach will not change in a difficult away European tie, and that
Torres can get even better.
Benitez said: "Our form has a lot to do with Torres, obviously.
In the last three games he has been outstanding. "Torres can still
improve, because he likes to learn. He is on fire at the moment and
is a key player for us, but the Champions League is more difficult
and he is aware of that."
He added: "We are scoring more goals and not really worried that
we have conceded a few more. "Our aim is to score goals and win
matches, keeping clean sheets is a bonus. "This has been a very
good goalscoring start to the season, I'm told the best for over
100 years at this club. "But even if you score goals and also
concede, then someone will see the negative of that."
