Rafael Benitez believes Liverpool’s exit from the Champions League can reignite their poor domestic form.
Liverpool concluded their Group E campaign with a 2-1 defeat by Fiorentina to continue a miserable run which has seen the club win just three of their last 14 games in all competitions.
However, with £20m signing Alberto Aquilani making his first start on Wednesday and Fernando Torres returning to full fitness, Benitez is confident that Liverpool have turned the corner.
“It is the beginning of a new season for us now, I hope,” he said.
“To see Aquilani, to see Torres, those were the real positive things for the next match and the rest of our season.
“Aquilani showed his quality, his touch was good. His vision and passing were good but obviously he will have to work on his match fitness.”
The Italian midfielder was signed from Roma during the summer but has only recently recovered from a knee injury that has kept him out of action all season.
Benitez will be looking to Sunday’s Premier League encounter against Arsenal as an opportunity to revive Liverpool’s season.
“Everyone is available for Sunday, if Aquilani trains well he could well be involved against Arsenal,” added Benitez.
“We are still trying to see the positives, we are playing better and we must now take that into a very important game.”
Fiorentina striker Alberto Gilardino’s injury-time goal at Anfield sealed a poor Champions League campaign for Liverpool, who finished third in Group E.
“The result and the way it happened just about sums up our Champions League campaign,” added Benitez, whose team will now compete in the Europa League.
“Another last-minute goal, and we are disappointed with that for the third time in this group.
“We worked so hard against Fiorentina and we had chances – they are the only positives we can take from the game.
“We will not be seeded in the Europa League. We must cope with that and handle whatever comes our way now.”
Premier League the priority
Meanwhile, Aquilani has asked for patience from the Liverpool fans.
“For a football player it is very hard if you haven’t played for seven or eight months,” Aquilani told Sky Sports News.
“If you don’t play the fitness is not good and the training is good, but the matches are different and I need to play and if you play more and more I get the fitness.”
With Liverpool eliminated from the Champions League, Aqulani admits that finishing in the top four of the Premier League is now their priority.
“That is very important for us,” he continued, admitting they need to beat Arsenal on Sunday.
“It is important for us to take each match step-by-step. We have to win each match, we cannot look at the table and Sunday we need to win.”
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