LUCAS has dismissed suggestions Liverpool can no longer be regarded as a “big club” after failing to reach the Champions League.

The Anfield outfit were consigned to a season in the Europa League after hopes of a top-four finish were finally extinguished by a 2-0 home defeat to title-chasing Chelsea at the weekend.

That loss, and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Rafael Benitez’s future as manager, has prompted the naysayers to predict the end of Liverpool as a competitive force with the likes of Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard and Javier Mascherano linked with moves away from the club.

But Lucas believes the team cannot be judged on the strength of one bad season and is confident they can atone for their failings in the near future.

“This is a big club, we want to win titles and hopefully next season will be different,” said the midfielder.

“You cannot say Liverpool are not a big club because of one season.

“You can see a lot of clubs that do not have the best season.

“Liverpool is about victory and about titles, and if you see the titles that Liverpool have it shows how big this club is. This season was not good enough but we have to move forward.”

Lucas added: “Always at the end of the season there is speculation about transfers. It is no different to last season and the season before that. It is the same every summer.

“We just have to wait. The players in South Africa will try to win the World Cup with their country and the others try to rest.

“It is important the players stay. We will see the plans of Rafa and the club about which players to keep and which should go but always it is important the key players and I hope everyone stays here and we can bring some top players in as well.”

Lucas has been one of the few Liverpool players to emerge with any credit from a difficult campaign, having become a more regular fixture in central midfield.