Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez believes that the Europa League will be a realistic opportunity for his club to win a trophy.
"It is important to have an option to win any trophy. The Europa League is different to the Champions League but there are some good teams in it,” The Sun quoted him, as saying.
"We have to progress if we can and then it is an opportunity to win a trophy and we will try to do it," he added. The Reds face Unirea Urziceni, who also crashed out of the Champions League at the group stage.
Considering that, Benitez has warned that the Romanian champions will be a threat when they clash next year.
“For me it is too early because we know we will play in February so we have plenty of time to prepare and learn about the other team,” he said.
“It will be tough. Unirea won the league in their country and were in a tough group with Sevilla and Stuttgart — I have some friends in Sevilla so maybe I'll be in touch with them,” he added.
Following its poor Champions League display, the unseeded Liverpool will play the first leg of the Europa League at home on February 18 before travelling to Romania the following week.
