Benitez sounds cautious note

08:45, Mar 19 2010

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez believes his side are more than capable of winning the Europa League but he will not allow his players to get ahead of themselves. Thursday night's 3-0 win over Lille at Anfield put them into Friday's quarter-final draw in Nyon where they could be drawn against Fulham, Hamburg, Benfica, Atletico Madrid, Standard Liege, Wolfsburg or Valencia. "We have more confidence but we have to take things one game at a time," said the Spaniard, after captain Steven Gerrard's ninth-minute penalty and then Fernando Torres' 16th and 17th goals of the season - and his first in Europe since last April - put his side into the last eight. Benitez said his star striker was not yet 100% fit but after four goals in his last two matches - he scored twice in Monday's 4-1 Barclays Premier League victory over Portsmouth - he is approaching it. "Torres was working very hard and I am really pleased because he did a fantastic job," added Benitez. Story continues ADVERTISEMENT "Match fitness is something you can only get by playing games. I'd like to say he's 50% (fit) but he is close, it is a question of playing games. "But I still believe he can improve. You can see there is a big difference when he plays well and it is the same with Gerrard too. It helps the rest of the team to play better. "It was a really good performance. We could see the players working really hard together and it was a good night. "The early goal was important because we knew we had to push forward from the beginning - and that goal gave us more time and confidence. "At 2-0 they were still dangerous so we needed the third goal just in case and, when it went in, it was a bit of relief."

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