Yossi Benayoun has admitted Liverpool have endured a disappointing season but he is determined to finish it on a high by winning the Europa League next month (13/8 with totesport).

Benayoun, who scored the first goal in the Reds’ easy 3-0 Premier League win over West Ham on Monday, says the Merseysiders must secure some silverware to make up for a poor campaign.

They take on Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Europa semi-final on Thursday (Liverpool 21/10, Atletico 13/10 to win first leg) and will arrive in the Spanish capital following a day-long journey over land, sea and air with flying restrictions still in place across much of Europe due to the volcanic ash cloud.

“We need to finish what has been a disappointing season with a trophy,” Benayoun said.

“Any trophy you win is great and we want to do it.”

Liverpool take on Atletico without star striker Fernando Torres, who is again deprived of playing against his old club due to injury.

Torres missed last season’s Champions League trip to the Vicente Calderon as he was on the sidelines, and he will again have to watch from afar as Rafa Benitez’s side aim to come away from Spain with a positive first-leg result.

Benayoun revealed the Reds squad are aiming to see off the La Liga outfit and go on to lift the trophy for their injured talisman in Hamburg in May.

“I wanted him to play against his old club – he deserves to do it – as it would have been a special moment for him but we need to try and win the game for him,” Benayoun added.

Benitez is expected to make several changes from the side that saw off the Hammers so easily and is definitely without former Atletico star Maxi Rodriguez, who is ineligible.

Alberto Aquilani was an unused substitute against West Ham so he will be pushing for a recall while Javier Mascherano, who came on in Monday’s win in the second half, could also earn a start.