The Reds are currently in Belgium preparing for the first leg of their third-round qualifier against Standard Liege, which will take place tonight at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne.
The clash will mark Keane’s debut in Europe’s top tournament and will also showcase his pairing with Torres for the first time in a competitive fixture.
Signs have been good during pre-season, as while Keane is yet to find the net since moving from Tottenham Hotspur, his link-up with Torres in particular has shown immense promise.
But Benitez admitted it will take time for the Irishman and the Spaniard to truly gel into the world-class pairing so many Liverpudlians are expecting them to become.
“The only thing is that because they have not been training [for long] and working together, they need more time,” he said in The Independent.
Steven Gerrard’s injury and the Olympics-induced absence of Javier Mascherano, Lucas Leiva and Ryan Babel mean Keane and Torres will almost certainly be deployed as a traditional strike pairing against Liege.
It may not be that way throughout the bulk of the season, however, as Benitez has hinted repeatedly that Keane may spend much of his time on the right-hand side of attack.
Either way, the ex-Valencia boss in certain his star strikers will perform regardless of how the team is shaped, and will expect them to steer his side safely past the Belgian champions.
“Both are clever players,” Benitez added. “It doesn’t matter what position they are playing in.”
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