Rafa has final in sight

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is brimming with confidence going into tonight’s Champions League second round, second leg against Real Madrid and is hopeful of guiding the Reds to their third European Cup final in five years.

Since Benitez took over as manager at Anfield, the Reds have been involved in three Champions League semi-finals, making it to the final twice, in 2005 and 2007.

And going into tonight’s game against the Spanish giants with a 1-0 lead from the Bernabeu, Liverpool must be optimistic another final is in sight.

Benitez told the press “They are a top side with more trophies than anyone in Europe, so it’d be a fantastic achievement – but we are thinking about winning titles.”

“There’ll be more important games if we can progress. The most important games in Europe for us have been Istanbul, and after that Athens. Hopefully we’ll be talking about another final this year.”

This year’s European Cup Final will be played at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, where Liverpool won the 1984 European Cup, beating Roma on penalties.