Rafael Benitez has dismissed claims of a rift between Liverpool and Spain over Fernando Torres' return action ahead of Thursday's game with Unirea Urziceni in the Europa League.
The Spain international made a 15-minute cameo in the goalless draw with Manchester City on Sunday and is likely to be named in the squad that travels to Romania for the Europa League clash.
But the Reds boss is urging caution over Torres' full return to fitness amidst reports that he will be included in his country's squad for a friendly with France next week.
Relations between club and country were believed to be strained after Torres suffered a groin injury suffered during the same fixture in 2008.
National coach Vicente del Bosque claimed last week that he wanted the player to delay his return for Liverpool in order to be in peak condition for this summer's World Cup in South Africa.
However Benitez has insisted that he has a good working relationship with the Spain coaching staff, including Del Bosque, fitness coach Javier Minano and technical director Fernando Hierro.
He said: “We have a very good relationship with Fernando Hierro, Del Bosque and Javier Minano.
“When people try to create a mess between Spain and us, remember that Del Bosque was the academy director at Real when I was an academy coach and I was his assistant for the first team.
“His fitness coach was my fitness coach in the under-18s and the second team. He is my friend.
“If I defend my players, it is because I have to, but we have very good communication.
“Hierro was in the first team when I was assistant at Real and when he was here we had a very good relationship.”
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