Rafa Benitez today revealed how Liverpool are ready to step up their pre-season preparations with the start of the Barclays Premier League campaign now just two weeks away.The Reds take on Espanyol in Spain this evening, and having opted to gradually introduce his squad back into match action following the summer break, Benitez is now set to hand some of his senior players a longer run out at the Estadi Cornella-El Prat.
Speaking in Barcelona earlier today, Benitez told Liverpoolfc.tv: "We are now trying to give the players more time, maybe an hour to 75 minutes, and for some of them the entire match, but it depends on each player.
"We have enough players here and we want to give all of them an opportunity, but the majority of them will play 60 minutes or a little bit more.
"After tonight, we will have two more games before the start of the season and I think we will see some players playing for the whole 90 minutes in those matches."
Liverpool will travel to Norway to face FC Lyn in Oslo on Wednesday before playing host to Atletico Madrid at Anfield next weekend to conclude the pre-season campaign, and Benitez admits he is pleased with the progress his squad have made since returning to Melwood last month.
"I think in terms of the fitness of the players everything is okay," he said. "The mentality and team spirit is good and going according to plan.
"Normally pre-season is just pre-season, but this one has been different because we had Dossena and the Spanish players coming back late from international duty and Gerrard back in Liverpool when we were in Asia.
"So we had different situations we could not control, but I think everything has been organised really well.
"We had a good trip to Asia and then a couple of days off. Now we are ready again."
The clash with Espanyol will see the official opening of the new 40,000 all-seater Estadi Cornella-El Prat.
Benitez acknowledges the 'Periquitos' will be determined to begin life in their new home with a victory.
He added: "It will be our most difficult game so far. It is a friendly match, but for Espanyol it is really important for them because they are playing in their new stadium in front of their fans.
"They have a good team, are well organised and now have more quality because of the players they have brought in this summer.
"It is clear they know us and our players, so it will be a good test for them and they will be trying to win."
Meanwhile, Benitez confirmed Glen Johnson and Yossi Benayoun are fit to face Espanyol, but Liverpool are without Martin Skrtel, Nabil El Zhar and Daniel Agger.
"Johnson is here and ready to play, and so is Yossi," he said.
"Both Skrtel and El Zhar are training at Melwood, but it is still too soon for them. Martin is progressing really quickly, but Nabil injured the ligament in his knee so he will need three more weeks."
On Agger, Benitez added: "He had an injury before and we decided not to take him to Switzerland. He has a problem again and we do not want to take any risks in this game.
"He wanted to come to Spain, but it was not necessary because we will have two more games before the start of the season and it was better for him to stay at Melwood."
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N165274090802-1204.htm
