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LIVERPOOL FC: SKRTEL DREAMS OF RUSSIAN RETURN

Martin Skrtel admits he would love to return to Russia at the end of the season - by helping Liverpool secure a place in the Champions League final in May.

/noticias.info/ The towering central defender believes he has now settled into life on Merseyside after joining the Reds during the January transfer window from Russian outfit Zenit St Petersburg.

And after helping Rafael Benitez's side negotiate their way past Italian champions Inter Milan in the last 16 of the Champions League, he has high hopes of returning to the land where he made his name on May 21, to try and help the Reds secure a sixth European Cup crown.

"It would be great if I could go back so soon, especially for a Champions League final," Skrtel told LFC Magazine.

"But it's still a long way in the future. There are a lot of games to be played before then. Looking too far ahead is never a good idea.

"There are important matches coming up before we play the quarter-final and we've got to make sure we win them.

"You can't take anything for granted; look what happened to us against Barnsley. But that's gone now and we've got to make sure we don't have any more slip-ups.

"Our priority is qualifying for next season's competition by finishing at least fourth. That's what we've got to concentrate on now."

Liverpool's 3-0 victory on aggregate over the Nerazzuri once again proved that the Reds will be a force to be reckoned with in the Champions League.

Skrtel may not wish to look too far beyond their quarter-final clash with Arsenal, but feels the success against the Italians shows that they are capable of great things in the competition.

"The whole Inter team are really good," he said.

"They've shown that by winning Serie A and are on course to retain the title.

"Defeating them without conceding a goal over the two legs illustrates just how good we are and that we can go a long way in this competition."

On a peronal note, Skrtel has gone from strength to strength at the heart of the Liverpool defence after he suffered - by his own admission - a nightmare debut against Havant and Waterlooville in the FA Cup.

It is an experience he admits he did not enjoy, but he hopes that since that day, he has gone some way to showing the fans what the 'real' Martin Skrtel is capable of.

"I knew they were a non-league team but I definitely did not underestimate them," he said.

"But it was a surprise that they were so good.

"They made life really difficult for us. Although it wasn't my best game I hope - since then - I've proved to the fans that I'm better than I was that day." notas_de_prensa_archivo