Barcelona manager Flick plays down Champions League title talk

LISBON, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has played down talk of his side lifting the Champions League trophy this year and said he was only focused on winning Tuesday's clash at Benfica and working on areas where they could improve.

Flick heaped praise on Liverpool, who are top of the Champions League table with a perfect 18 points, three ahead of second-placed Barca followed by six teams on 13 points.

The top eight qualify automatically for the round of 16 and the next 16 teams meet in two-legged playoffs for the right to join them. Benfica are currently 15th with 10 points.

"The future will tell whether we are among the favourites or not," Flick told a press conference on Monday. "The Champions League is one of the most difficult competitions to win, but we have to try.

"When I look at Liverpool I see a team with incredible power. They are one of my favourite teams in the world right now.

"We are doing well but there are very good teams that are also doing well and we are contending on three fronts (Champions League, LaLiga and Copa del Rey).

"Benfica is a team that plays very well, it's a pleasure to see how they build. Angel Di Maria is one of my favourite players. Let's see how we do tomorrow ..."

LALIGA STRUGGLES

Despite Barcelona's Champions League form and place in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals after a 5-1 thrashing of Real Betis last week, they are off the pace in LaLiga.

Their last league success was a 5-1 victory away to Mallorca in early December and they are now on a four-game winless streak following a 1-1 draw at lowly Getafe on Saturday.

Third-placed Barca have 39 points from 20 games and trail leaders Real Madrid by seven points and Atletico Madrid by five.

Flick said he was happy with his side's LaLiga performances despite the poor run and added that he was looking forward to playing at Benfica's stadium where he won the Champions League in 2020 when his Bayern Munich side beat Paris St Germain.

"I have great memories of this stadium," Flick said.

"If you look at the LaLiga results, we are not doing a good job but if you look at our games we are playing very well.

"Despite the results, I would say that the team is playing great and working very focused. As I said in Getafe, it's my first season here and in LaLiga. (I) had no experience and I didn't know how the opposition were going to play.

"Our goal is to win against Benfica. It would be a big step for us and we want to do it. In the position we're in, being second, it's important to secure these points.

"There are a lot of games left between now and the end of the season and we could save two games if we avoid the playoffs by finishing in the top eight." (Reporting by Fernando Kallas in Madrid; Editing by Ken Ferris)