Agger has played 35 games this season – almost as many as the rest of his professional career put together – but reckons his mental strength has helped him cope with the huge increase in intensity and games.

“Mentally I am quite strong, I don’t feel tired at all in that respect,” he says. “Physically, when you are so late in the season you feel a bit tired, but it isn’t affecting my game.

“My strong mentality has helped me all the time, not just in football. You have to be mentally strong to be a footballer, that’s how it is these days.

“But a game in the Danish first division cannot compare to a game here. For me, I feel more tired after playing a game in the Premiership than in Denmark.”

With Liverpool taking a 3-0 lead into tonight’s home return against PSV, there is a growing feeling that Benitez’s men can emulate their European Cup triumph of two season ago.

And Agger, who dismisses the suggestion Liverpool are more suited to the Champions League than the Premiership, reveals the confidence among the squad is such that a possible semi-final encounter with Chelsea/Valencia holds no fears.

“We are confident that we can win every game,” he says. “If you aren’t confident you can win, then you won’t win. We know we can win.

“Even before the Barcelona game, we had the feeling we could beat anyone. We go into every game wanting to win. You have to go with confidence on the pitch, especially against the big teams.

“The manager is inspiring to us, and that’s what he is there for. He needs to put that confidence in the team.

“I don’t think we see games differently because they are Europe. We go out every game to try and win, that’s what I do, and that’s what all the players do.

“The English style of football is a lot different to the European style. Maybe we are a mix of European teams and English teams, because I think we’re doing well in the Premiership as well.”