El proper rival del Barça a la Copa - El próximo rival del Barça en la Copa

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RAFA CHATS EXCLUSIVELY TO LIVERPOOL FC.

TV Jimmy Rice 15 December 2006

Reds boss Rafael Benitez takes time out to talk to liverpoolfc.tv about Charlton, Barcelona and the Carling Cup.

First of all Rafa, give us your reaction to the Champions League draw?

We know it's a very difficult game. People talk about Barcelona as one of the best teams in the world right now.

They're playing in Japan now and they've just won 4-0. But my idea is that we're not playing against them now, we're playing against them in two months. We'll see what happens in the next two months.

Will the prospect of playing the holders frighten your players?

I think they will be excited. We won the Champions League playing against Juventus, Leverkusen, AC Milan and Chelsea, so we have experience of playing these types of games.

They will be happy to be playing in the Nou Camp and to bring Barca back here to Anfield.

As a Spaniard, what does a fixture with Barcelona mean to you?

The top games in Spain are Real Madrid v Barcelona and, in the last six or seven years, Barcelona v Valencia. To play against Barcelona is the most important game there.

But for me, it's another game. I like to win against all the teams, especially those with good players because then you show your team is good enough.

It's not special for me to beat Barcelona because I'm Spanish, I just think about winning because it's the Champions League and I want to win every game.

Is this the toughest draw you could have got, given you won your group?

It could be the most difficult draw but Benfica was the easiest draw last season – and we couldn't get through.

All the players and the supporters will be really, really focussed this year.

The positive news is we don't have anything to lose because Barcelona are favourites.

How much Spanish football do you get to watch these days?

I watch some games. I like to see different competitions.

It's easy for us to watch Barcelona games and we are watching them.

Will your Spanish players be particularly motivated, because all of Spain will be watching?

I think the English players will be just as motivated because Barcelona are a very good team.

They played Arsenal in the final last year so all the English fans know Ronaldinho, Messi, Eto, Giuly and all these good players.

Back to domestic matters, what are your thoughts on the Charlton game?

When you're at the bottom of the table you are desperate to win every game, so this game is dangerous. People think it will be easy, but these are not easy games.

Only when you are winning a game 3-0 can you say it is easy.

Are we finally starting to see the best of the players who played in the World Cup?

I think this is true. You try to explain the situation when you are losing and people say it's just an excuse.

Now we can see players like Stevie, Xabi and Pepe playing better and the team has more quality.

You presumably won't have any problem motivating your players for Barcelona, but can you say the same about Charlton?

If you analyse our record away, you say to the players, listen, we need to improve.

I know it's important for us not to have to start talking about poor away form again, and the players know that too.

Are you frustrated that's it's taken so long to show this great form, with you now being so far behind the leaders?

We are not thinking about this now. We cannot change the situation. We have to think about carrying on winning games and keeping clean sheets and scoring lots of goals.

Then in two months we will see where we are. You could see the other day Arsenal and Chelsea winning 1-0, but with some problems. I think this year will be different because we'll see all the top sides dropping points.

The most important thing for me is to keep my side doing the same things we're doing at the moment.

A word on the Carling Cup game against Arsenal next week?

We have bad memories of the 3-0, so we want to win this game and the FA Cup game.

It's important that we are at home because we are playing a very good team. Arsenal have a lot of good young players and they've paid big money for most of them, Walcott for example.

They can use these players.

How important is the Carling Cup to you?

All the competitions are important. If we put them in order we'd say Premiership, Champions League, FA Cup, Carling Cup. But this is an opportunity to win another trophy. We played in the final two years ago and we want to be there again.