Rafa Benitez feels Liverpool are capable of winning tonight’s Champions League clash at Napoli.
Former Napoli coach Benitez, who won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005, said there was no reason for Reds fans to panic, despite their tricky start to the season.
“There has been a lot of scrutiny on Liverpool’s start to the season,” he wrote for The Times. “This is not an easy game, especially when the crowd is behind Napoli because the players feed off that.
“But whatever the result, I don’t have major concerns about Jurgen Klopp’s side. People have asked me, ‘Are they tired from last season?’ Just look at the number of chances they had in the final 20 minutes against Everton and that answers that.
“There is increasing focus on Mohamed Salah. Again, had his shot gone in at the end of the Merseyside derby, rather than hitting the post, that would not be mentioned. Salah is, in many ways, a victim of the high standards he set for so long but his battle with Mário Rui will be one the Napoli left back will hardly be looking forward to.”
Benitez singled out Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as one of Napoli’s dangermen.
“Kvaratskhelia will be an unfamiliar name to many people, but he poses a huge threat to Liverpool,” he said.
“Speaking to some friends in Italy over the weekend, they said to me that he is the best player in Italy right now. Other people might put forward different players, but what everyone can agree on is how well Kvaratskhelia has taken to Serie A.”
