Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is relishing this month’s return to the Uefa Champions League.
The English Premier League side, five-time winners of the competition, are back among Europe’s elite for the first time in four years and kick off their campaign at home to Bulgarian outsiders Ludogorets on September 16.
It cannot come soon enough for Gerrard, who lifted the trophy in 2005 after victory in a famous final in Istanbul.
“When you watch the Champions League and you’re not involved there’s jealousy and envy seeing other players play on the big stage and hearing that Champions League music,” he told NBC.
“You are competing against the best players in Europe and it is the No 1 competition in the world to play in.
“It is the trophy every player dreams of winning and because of the experience I have gained over the years I was so desperate to taste it again, even if it was just one more time.”
Gerrard has no intention to settle for being a one-season wonder in the Champions League as the minimum requirement at Anfield this season is to secure their place for next year after finishing second in the league last year.
But having come so close to winning the Premier League last May the Liverpool captain said they have to start turning their promise into something more tangible as manager Brendan Rodgers begins his third season in charge.
“Without getting too carried away I think we are now a very good team, and I think we can become excellent as there is still room for improvement,” he said.
“It is very important we maintain our place in the Champions League but, after the journey we went on last year and the confidence we gained from it, I think we are genuine title contenders as we have proved we can mix it with anyone in this league.”
Gerrard said he believes that the key to Liverpool’s improvement rests squarely at the door of manager Rodgers and his creative thinking.
“Tactically he is very clever, reacts to situations, changes things for the better, see problems and adjusts things very quickly,” he said.
“He can play any formation he wants to play as he knows he has the personnel and he is not scared to change formation from game to game or tinker with it as the game is going on.
“He is a players’ manager, a manager you want to work hard for and win for. He shows the players unbelievable respect, he treats them like his own children and creates an unbelievable atmosphere to work in.”
Follow us on Twitter at SprtNationalUAE
