It would be hard to pick a much more daunting place for a team to play their first ever Champions League group match. The Hungarian champions Debrecen travel to Liverpool's famous Anfield stadium as they kick off their maiden campaign tonight. Liverpool, with five European Cup titles, are the overwhelming favourites to win the Group E match, but midfielder Lucas said the team will not be taking Debrecen lightly.
"If they are playing in the Champions League they will have some quality," the Brazil international said of a team which have won four of the past five Hungarian league titles. "Maybe they will know more about us than we know about them so that makes them dangerous. Our staff will have been working to get videos of them and we will be ready." Debrecen's only previous visit to England ended in 3-0 qualifying round loss to Manchester United in 2005. That led to a 6-0 aggregate loss after the second leg at home. This is the first time Debrecen have made it to the group phase of the competition, becoming the first Hungarian club to reach this stage since Ferencvaros in 1995-96.
By contrast, Liverpool last won the title in 2005 and lost in the final two years ago. "We always know we must start well in the group," Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez said. "We lost our first game a couple of seasons ago against Marseille. That caused us a lot of problems and it was hard to qualify from the group. The first game is vital. We must be in control of the group straight away because we then go to Florence next and Fiorentina will be tough, all Italian teams are tough at this level."
Fiorentina visit Lyon in the other group game, although the Italians' pivotal striker Adrian Mutu looks likely to miss the game with a thigh injury. * With agencies Liverpool v Debrecen, KO 10.45pm, Aljazeera Sport + 3
