Aurelio backs Liverpool boss

Aurelio insists Rafa Benitez is not to blame for their early exit from Europe’s premier competition.

“The players still have confidence and we know that it is only us who can change our situation by working hard to improve,” said Aurelio

“We know we can do better, certainly than we are doing at the moment.

“The team are now intent on winning at Everton on Sunday and starting to get more points right to the end of the season. Then we will see what position we are in, and what we are able to fight for.

“It is a big game next against Everton and a big opportunity to improve and regain the strength we need for a long season ahead.”

Aurelio added: “It is difficult to explain how we feel. Being Liverpool, you expect to go much further in the competition than we have done this season.

“But now we cannot allow ourselves to dwell on what has happened, we must concentrate on the future to fight for a different title, the Europa League.

“We also have the challenge to do things better in the Premier League as well.

“It is difficult to know where this campaign has gone wrong, but against Lyon we lost goals in the last minutes of both games and that has made the difference.

“Liverpool used to be more solid in defence, and we have only scored four goals in five games in the group matches, so we have to improve in all areas.

“We have been missing a lot of players through injury problems, so we have to think that things can only improve in that situation.

“It is a big disappointment to be out of the Champions League, but we have to win a trophy. A big team like Liverpool must accept that.

“The Europa League is an opportunity to win a trophy and that’s how we will go into this competition thinking. At Liverpool, every competition is important, we want to win trophies.

“We will have a great chance to get a trophy and we’ll go for it, but there is still a long way go until May and we have to improve.”