Benteke cost as much as Villarreal's total revenue, claims Marcelino

Villarreal manager Marcelino put the pressure on Liverpool ahead of Thursday's Europa League semi-final, suggesting that benched striker Christian Benteke cost as much as the La Liga club takes in every year.

Despite the apparent distance between the two clubs financially, the Yellow Submarine has a 1-0 advantage heading into the second leg at a sold-out Anfield.

In the prematch press conference, Marcelino held up Benteke in particular as a an example of Liverpool's economic strength, and continued to paint Villarreal, from a city of just 50,000 people, as the underdog.

"Liverpool as a club have an extraordinary squad of footballers when you consider Benteke cost €50 million (he actually cost €46.5 million), which equates to the whole turnover of Villarreal as a club," said Marcelino. "We come here full of hope. We are going to give everything we have got and we will enjoy ourselves."

Benteke, who arrived from Aston Villa last summer, hasn't made a start since Feb. 9, when West Ham defeated Liverpool 2-1 in the fourth round of the FA Cup. A knee injury forced him to miss seven matches between March and April, and he's unlikely to feature in Jurgen Klopp's XI on Thursday.

Related: Emre Can returns to Liverpool squad for Villarreal test

Klopp made the bold decision to withhold Daniel Sturridge in the first leg last week, instead opting for a front three of Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino, and Adam Lallana.

But the Reds need at least a goal to give themselves a chance at home, where they managed that spectacular three-goal comeback against Borussia Dortmund in the previous round.

"I think we will see a different Liverpool tomorrow," said Marcelino. "They will try to press us further up the field. I think they may be more direct than they were (in Spain)."