Reds begin odyssey to Madrid

Liverpool will leave Merseyside by train on Tuesday when they set off for their Europa League semi-final against Atletico Madrid.

Uefa has decided to press ahead with Thursday's first legs despite the Europe-wide travel chaos caused by the Icelandic cloud of volcanic dust.

Manager Rafael Benitez is also worried about getting the team home from Spain.

Liverpool play at Burnley on Sunday afternoon and Benitez would have preferred Uefa to rethink the schedule.

"In these special circumstances it could be better to postpone the game but we have to go," said the Spaniard, whose team will re-evaluate their travel plans on an hourly basis.

"We had some time yesterday to rest the players. It will not be ideal but we will try to do the best for the players."

Liverpool will aim to be as flexible as possible as they work out the best way of making the 1,200-mile trip to Madrid.

They are aiming to spend Tuesday night in Paris. From there they will fly direct to Madrid if northern French airspace is open.

If not, as seems likely, they will leave Paris on Wednesday morning and travel to Bordeaux by train, and from there take a flight to Madrid, as Bordeaux airport is functioning.

"The news we have is we will go to London and see what can happen. Maybe then the airports will be open and maybe we can fly from there," added Benitez.

"We have the organisation for coming back as soon as possible but anyway it will be Saturday - which is not the best for the Premier League game.

"If the airports are open maybe we can fly directly but at this moment it is more difficult to come back than it is to go.

"We are assessing things hour by hour. We have two or three options going and at this moment just one coming back but we will see if we can improve that."

Liverpool are at least coming into the match on the back of a comprehensive win in the Premier League, after beating West Ham 3-0 at home on Monday.

And in Atletico - a 10th in La Liga - they are playing a team who on paper are inferior to the Reds' previous Europa League opponents, Portuguese table-toppers Benfica.

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.