LIverpool manager Rafael Benitez remains confident his side can reach the Europa League final despite losing to Atletico Madrid. The Merseysiders lost the first leg of their semi-final encounter 1-0 at the Vicente Calderon after Diego Forlan netted the only goal of a tight game in the eighth minute.
Atletico had opportunities to build a bigger lead, with Jose Reina denying Simao Sabrosa and Tomas Ujfalusi in the second period and Forlan spurning a good chance when one-on-one with the Spain international.
At the other end, Liverpool found decent goalscoring chances hard to come by, with captain Steven Gerrard firing one of their best openings into the side-netting prior to the break.
The Reds also had a goal disallowed early on for offside against Yossi Benayoun - a strike Benitez felt should have stood.
The defeat leaves Liverpool with a hill to climb in next week's second leg at Anfield, but Benitez was in optimistic mood after the game.
"I have a lot of confidence of playing at Anfield, in our players and in our fans. Today we had a lot of fans behind the team and that was very positive, and at Anfield we will have more of them," said Benitez.
"It could have been better, it could have been worse and everything will be decided at Anfield where we will go out to fight and have all our supporters behind us."
Benitez also played down the effect of tiredness after his side were forced to make a long journey to Spain by road and rail after the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud left flights grounded earlier in the week.
"It was fine," he said. "We were working hard so that was the main thing."