Aurelio - Rafa not to blame

Aurelio: Backing for Benitez

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

. Fabio Aurelio
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Fabio Aurelio insists Liverpool's players and not manager Rafa Benitez are to blame for their early UEFA Champions League exit.

Liverpool crashed out of Europe's premier competition on Tuesday after Fiorentina beat Lyon to ensure their progress alongside the French club into the knockout stages.

Benitez has come under increasing pressure following the Champions League elimination, but Aurelio feels the Anfield players should shoulder the blame and not the manager.

Aurelio has called on the squad to bounce back this weekend in the Merseyside derby against Everton as they look to get their Premier League campaign back on track.

"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."

Challenge

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."

Target

Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina echoed the sentiments of Aurelio and has called on the side to try and win the Europa League to make up for the disappointment of missing out on the Champions League.

"Of course we are disappointed because the Champions League is a big competition that we have done well in," said Reina.

"Now we are out, though. It's tough but it is not always possible to get out of the group stage.

"The Europa League is another competition for us and we want to win it.

"It also has strong teams and it will be nice to play in it. It's already become a target. There are also so many good teams involved, but we have to look forward and keep trying to win."

Reina believes a win over Everton will be the perfect boost for the supporters and club after a trying week.

"To beat Everton is always huge, especially for the fans," added Reina. "We will be trying hard because we also need to win in the league and in the race for fourth place. We have to move on and keep fighting."