Rafa relying on home comforts

Liverpool have made comebacks something of a trademark in recent seasons and manager Rafael Benitez is confident his side can turn things around having lost their Europa League semi-final first leg 1-0 to Atletico Madrid.

Former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan snatched a scrappy goal in the ninth minute when, having botched his header from Jose Manuel Jurado's left-wing cross, he made no mistake second time around when the ball dropped at his feet.

"We've been in the same situation before and we've found out we can win, so hopefully it will be the same again," said Benitez.

"It will be difficult because 1-0 is always a dangerous score, but we are still confident.

"We've done it in the past and we have to approach the game with this confidence and it would then be easier for us to play better and to score more goals.

"We had two or three chances and we missed the target, which was a pity.

"These kind of games you have to take your chances."

Benitez admitted his injury-hit squad - they were without striker Fernando Torres, and defenders Fabio Aurelio, Emiliano Insua and Martin Skrtel - were not on top form after a 1,200-mile trip by road, rail and air because of flight disruption caused by the cloud of volcanic ash.

However, he refused to use their hastily-rescheduled travel plans, which involved a 24-hour journey with a stop-over in Paris, as an excuse, and said: "It was fine. We were working hard so that was the main thing.

"It wasn't the best performance but we were playing against a good team that were well-organised."