Aquilani ready for full debut

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE:ALBERTO AQUILANI is scheduled to make a full Liverpool debut tomorrow against Fiorentina with his father revealing the €22 million midfielder has been fit for more than a month and is frustrated at Rafael Benitez's reluctance to deploy his services.

Claudio Aquilani’s diagnosis could be dismissed as biased but for his employment as a paramedic at Roma, his son’s former club.

Aquilani was signed as Xabi Alonso’s replacement in August while still recovering from an ankle operation he underwent in May. An initial assessment of one month’s absence was soon extended to three, with a virus also interrupting his schedule.

Despite being in full training since before the draw with Manchester City on November 21st he has appeared once in Liverpool’s last four matches – as an 89th-minute substitute against Debrecen in the Champions League.

Benitez has cited Liverpool’s recent struggles as reason not to field a player without match fitness but plans to start the 25-year-old in tomorrow’s Champions League dead-rubber at Anfield. Aquilani Sr, however, disputes the midfielder has not been ready to play in recent weeks.

“Alberto’s available to play and has been for more than a month,” he said. “I don’t know the reasons why Benitez has chosen not to play him since he came back for injury. That is an issue for Alberto. He must convince the coach that he has to play. I don’t know of any special motivation for Benitez in not playing him. ”

A source close to Aquilani says the Italian has no problem with the Liverpool manager and that his frustrations are purely professional. “Alberto understands perfectly why the manager does not want to risk him, that if he plays too early he may be out for much longer,” said the source. “He’s desperate to play, naturally, but he knows he must be careful. His relationship with all of the staff at Liverpool, including Benitez, is excellent.”

Benitez is hoping negotiations over a new contract for goalkeeper Pepe Reina can be wrapped up over the coming months. Benitez revealed over the weekend that the club had begun talks over a new contract for Javier Mascherano, with Benitez also keen to tie down the Spanish stopper.

“We are very happy with him,” Benitez said. “He has been improving every single year and he will improve more because goalkeepers have more time in their career. He’s always positive and he’s one of the best in the training sessions because his attitude is always good.

“It depends on the agent and what the player wants but Pepe is very happy here in Liverpool so I don’t see a big problem. The team-mates love him because he’s a very good example.”

Meanwhile, Ryan Babel has denied giving a disparaging interview to the Sunon the day of the Champions League game against Debrecen. The Dutchman was quoted by the tabloid criticising Benitez' management, suggesting cliques exist at the club and claiming he will leave the club in January.

He has now set the record straight via the club's official website, saying: "I was very disappointed when it came out because I never gave an interview here in England – I never gave an interview to the Sun.

“I did give an interview in the Netherlands a month ago when I was with the national team, and I think they took some bits out of it and added some of their own opinions. They wrote that I’d talked about other players – and I would never talk about players like that.

“The funniest thing was them publishing that I’m not friends with Dirk Kuyt. Come on! Dirk will tell you how our relationship is.

"It has to be made clear. Who published this? The Sun– I wouldn't talk to the Sun.

“I am very happy that the boss made it clear straight away that he had confidence in me and believed that I didn’t do the interview. I hope people understand.

Babel claims he still sees his future at Liverpool, saying: “I feel confident that I’m good enough to play a lot of games for Liverpool. I keep saying this. Hopefully I’ll get chances to show this.”