Tuesday’s defeat was a first in the group stage of the Champions League since October 2007 and the first time Liverpool had not scored in the competition proper since the shock 1-0 home defeat to Marseille 21 games and two years ago.
Benitez’s sides are renowned for their European knowhow, but Aurelio admits the visitors were caught out in Florence.
“In Europe the refs stop the game all the time and you could see that against Fiorentina,” he says. “There were a lot of fouls given against us, which cost us a lot of possession and gave it to them.
“We have to adapt our game to all kinds of situations and we have always done well in this competition.
“So the fact we have done it in the past proves we can do so, but we didn’t on Tuesday in the first half at least.”
Gerrard agrees. “We didn’t do what we usually do well away in Europe. We usually play with a high tempo, pass the ball well and play really well on the counter attack.
“Those things weren’t there and it was all over the pitch – from front to back.”
And while the skipper dismisses suggestions Liverpool were unprepared for the impact of Jovetic, he admits more attention will be paid to the 19-year-old Montenegrin in the return match.
“I hadn’t seen much of him before but I had heard good things,” says Gerrard. “He’s an exciting player and he’s had a good night tonight. We have to make sure when he plays at Anfield we keep a closer eye on him.”
Liverpool complete their group campaign by entertaining Fiorentina on December 9. And there is every chance the fixture could determine which of the pair progresses to the knockout stages.
Lyon’s 4-0 thumping of Debrecen in Hungary on Tuesday night has pushed Liverpool down to third and made the French outfit favourites to take one of the two qualification berths.
Liverpool’s play Lyon home and away in their next two Champions League games, and Gerrard says: “It’s wide open in this group and there is a lot of football still to be played.
“It’s important now that we win our next home game against Lyon . If we win all our home games and try to pick up a couple of points in the last two away games then we will be fine.”
