Lyon latest: Torres fitness update

Rafa Benitez is confident Fernando Torres can avoid the need for an operation as the boss prepares to include the striker in his plans for Wednesday’s crunch clash with Lyon.

The Spain international is being eased back into action as he continues to recover from a groin injury - and Benitez insists he will continue to play it safe with the fitness of the Reds' No.9.
 
"We know Fernando has a problem, and we have to manage it," the boss told his pre-match press conference in France.
 
"The positive thing is that he is improving, and he is in less pain each time he plays and trains.
 
"Hopefully if we can continue doing well with him, he will not need an operation - that is our idea.
 
"Now it is a question of how he feels and what will happen if he plays.
 
"I talk to the players after every training session and every game. After United, he needed four days to be ready again. After Fulham, he told me he was much better but still feeling something.
 
"Yesterday he was better still and hopefully tomorrow he will be even better."
 
Torres was named in the 19-man squad that touched down in Lyon on Tuesday afternoon, and he was joined by Daniel Agger, Alberto Aquilani and David Ngog on the flight from John Lennon airport.
 
But the Reds are without Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson, Martin Skrtel and Fabio Aurelio for the encounter with Lyon, and Benitez admits the current injury situation has hindered his side's form.
 
He said: "We have good players but too many injuries. If you think of any of the top sides in the world, if they lose three players who could start, and four or five who could be on the bench, it is not easy."
 
Asked for the latest on Gerrard's fitness, Benitez replied: "Gerrard has been working with our physios and fitness coach. He was improving, but it is too early. We have to wait two or three days to see his reaction, but he is doing well."
 
The boss was quizzed on whether Alberto Aquilani could make his first start for the Reds at the Stade Gerland.
 
"We will see how he trains and afterwards we will decide," he said. "We analyse every single player after every training session and then we have a meeting. But now is too early."
 
The Spaniard also confirmed the Reds will assess the fitness of Agger after training tonight.
 
Meanwhile, Benitez believes Liverpool can draw inspiration from past European triumphs as the Reds go in search of another famous win in France.
 
Liverpool head into Wednesday's fixture at the Stade Gerland having amassed just three points from their opening three fixtures in Group E, while Lyon have a 100 per cent record in the competition.
 
However, Benitez cited the Reds' 2007-08 Champions League campaign as proof his charges' European aspirations are far from over.
 
Liverpool had collected just one point at this stage of the competition two years ago, but comprehensive victories over Besiktas, Porto and Marseille saw them progress into the last 16 of the tournament.
 
"We have been talking about this. We have some experience and we know it is difficult, but you always have to have the belief you can do it because we have done it in the past," he said.
 
"We have a lot of respect for Lyon because they are a good team, but we have to try to do our job and win.
 
"At a top side, every game is important. We will try to do our best, but we can't do anything other than be ready.
 
"We have a lot of very good memories here in France, and it will be a massive achievement for us if we can win.
 
"We have experience of winning in the last games when we needed to, so it is important to have the spirit and belief we can do it and take confidence from these very good memories."
 
He added: "Our fans are very clever. Sometimes you have bad moments, but they know we are working very hard to try and change things.
 
"I am really pleased to be here and I want to be here for a long time.
 
"We will try to win and we know that when you walk through a storm, hold your head up high - and we will try to hold our heads up high."