Liverpool v Atlético

Venue: Anfield
Date: Tuesday 4 November
Kick-off: 1945 GMT


Liverpool are optimistic striker Fernando Torres will win his race to be fit to face former club Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Torres, 24, has not played since suffering a hamstring injury last month, but manager Rafa Benitez hopes to have him in his squad

"Hopefully he'll be ready," he said on Monday. "If he cannot start then he will be on the bench if all is okay."

"I would say he has a 70 per cent chance of featuring in the game."

Despite Torres's absence, Liverpool ended Chelsea's 84-game unbeaten home record.

But they missed a host of gilt-edged chances in Saturday's 2-1 Premier League defeat at Tottenham, which cost them top spot to Chelsea.

And Benitez is keen to see the Spaniard back to help secure Liverpool's place in the last 16 of the Champions League

"Fernando has been working really, really hard and doing good work with the physios," he told the club's website.

"He trained yesterday (Sunday) and will train again today and then we will see.

"Atletico Madrid was his first club and now he is with Liverpool - two big clubs with lots of fans who love him, so this is massive for him."

Torres missed the trip to the club he used to captain two weeks ago when a 1-1 draw left Liverpool and Atletico level at the top of Group D with seven points each.

Liverpool's home record against Spanish clubs is poor; they have failed to win any of the last five matches and did not score in the last four.

But Benitez sees the game as the perfect opportunity to quickly recover the momentum of a promising season following the defeat by Spurs.

"It's good we have another important game on Tuesday and the reaction of the players has to be to play well and win the game," he said after that game.

Atletico warmed up for the game with a 2-0 home victory over Real Mallorca in La Liga on Saturday.

Atletico coach Javier Aguirre's decision to bring Sergio Aguero back into his starting line-up paid off with the Argentine forward scoring both goals in their first league win in five matches.