Benítez hoping future starts here

By Jonathan Caswell in Liverpool

Rafael Benítez has won in the UEFA Champions League at Anfield before, but he was then manager of a visiting Valencia CF side in 2002. He has also lost there - as the new manager of Liverpool.

Memory to banish
However, as Liverpool return to the Champions League following a two-year absence, Benítez will be hoping to draw on what he achieved with the Spanish champions and UEFA Cup holders in Europe, while banishing the memory of his new side's 1-0 home defeat by Grazer AK in the third qualifying round last month.

Pressure to perform
Liverpool are in a tough Group A which includes Wednesday's opponents, AS Monaco FC, a side who almost lifted European club football's ultimate prize last season. Benítez considers Liverpool a club in transition and believes any kind of progress would be welcome, but Liverpool's reputation in Europe - they have won nine trophies including the European Champion Clubs' Cup four times - ensures a pressure to perform.

'The place to be'
Naturally, Benítez's new charges are determined to prove themselves on the biggest stage. Defender Sami Hyypiä said: "The expectations here are very high that we can do very well. The Champions League is the place to be and we have really missed it. The match against Monaco will be completely different to any of the league games we have played and it will be interesting to see what kind of game they play, whether they play to draw or win."

Tactical question
Liverpool will go into the match buoyed by Saturday's 3-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion FC. Benítez fielded a five-man midfield then, with Spaniard Luis García supporting sole striker Djibril Cissé, and it will be interesting to see whether he retains this system or brings back Milan Baroš.

Surprise package
As for visitors Monaco, they were the surprise package of last season's Champions League last year when they reached the final with some scintillating football, including a magnificent comeback victory against tournament favourites Real Madrid CF at the quarter-final stage. But most of the gems that sparkled for them last term are now the jewels in other teams' crowns.

Saviola suspended
Fernando Morientes, Ludovic Giuly and Jérôme Rothen are among the players to have moved on and coach Didier Deschamps will now be looking for inspiration from new sources. He managed to acquire three new strikers in Javier Chevantón, Mohamed Kallon and Javier Saviola. Argentian Saviola, who was scouted at length by Liverpool when he was a teenager, scored in last weekend's 3-1 win home win over RC Strasbourg, but misses this match through suspension.

Trump card
In his absence, Kallon will be partnered by the Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who impressed in the 6-0 rout of Slovenia's NK Gorica in the third qualifying round second leg. Deschamps is looking forward to the challenge, but admitted that Anfield's reputation preceded his team's visit. He said: "The Anfield stadium is legend. It could be their trump card."

Folklore
Liverpool and Monaco have never met in Europe, and the Merseysiders' record against French opposition is mixed. Some of their greatest victories were achieved either against French clubs or on French soil. The victory against AS Saint-Etienne in a European Cup they went on to win in 1977 is part of Liverpool folklore as is their victory in Paris in the 1981 final against Real Madrid. But they did, of course, lose badly against Strasbourg in 1997 and Olympique de Marseille in the UEFA Cup last season. That was the past, though; Benítez will hope the future starts here.