I'll settle for nothing but a victory Benitez FLBuild: Fidolook 2002 SL 6.0.2800.94 542005 11:39:16

I'll settle for nothing but a victory - Benitez

Sep 14 2005

By Ian Doyle, Daily Post

RAFAEL BENITEZ saluted his Liverpool team after they made the perfect start to the Champions League group stages.

Florent Sinama-Pongolle and Luis Garcia netted inside the first 14 minutes as the European Cup holders ensured a winning return to Spain for their manager with a 2-1 win at Real Betis.

They were forced to withstand strong pressure in the second half as Arzu's 51st-minute strike brought the La Liga side back into the game.

But Liverpool held firm to earn the plaudits from their overjoyed manager. "It was one of our most impressive results since I have been here," said Benitez. "Betis are a very good team and are very attacking.

"It was important to start the group stage by winning. Winning away against a team that will fight with us to qualify was so important. I had an advantage because I knew the other team and the atmosphere here, so I could warn the team. That's maybe why we started so well."

Liverpool's next Champions League game is against Chelsea at Anfield in a fortnight. The Stamford Bridge side are joint leaders of Group G after beating Anderlecht 1-0 last night, but Benitez has dismissed the notion of a draw being a good result against the Londoners.

"I'm thinking about winning, nothing else," said the Spaniard. "I want to recuperate some players and think about the Premiership game on Sunday (against Manchester United), but when it comes to the Champions League (against Chelsea) I will want to win again."

Peter Crouch, with England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson watching at the Estadio Manuel Ruiz de Lopera, enjoyed an impressive debut in the Champions League proper, making a major contribution to Garcia's ultimately decisive strike before being substituted in the second half.

"Crouch played really well. Mr Eriksson knows he's a good player and a good target man," said Benitez.

"He gives us more chances because he keeps the ball, and allows us to play good football. I'm sure Mr Eriksson will have been impressed."

Betis centre-back Gutierrez Juanito - given such a torrid time by Crouch that he was replaced at the break - also joined in the praise for the Liverpool striker.

"He was very difficult to play against," admitted Juanito. "We never really got hold of him, especially in the first 15 minutes when we couldn't work him out and I think we saw that with the goals.

"It's a real shame because we paid for those 20 minutes for the whole game. I don't think we dealt with him very well at all."

Steven Gerrard was one of several players rested by Benitez, with one eye on the forthcoming Premiership encounter against Manchester United at Anfield this weekend.

"We were trying to protect Gerrard and some of our players like Cisse and Finnan who were a little bit tired after recent games," said the Liverpool manager. "I tried to use players with fresh legs."

Of last night's victory, Benitez added: "We were organised and knew clearly what we had to do to hurt them on the counter-attack. We controlled the game in the first half, but had problems in the second half."