Europa League a turn-off for John Obi Mikel

When asked if he was missing the Champions League, he said: “Yes, of course. No disrespect to the Europa League but when you saw the game on Thursday, it was not [the same]. You get that buzz when you hear the song of the Champions League, it’s different. I don’t know [what the Europa League song is].

“We want to be involved in the Champions League again next season. We’ve been used to it, those kind of special nights, and we want to get it back.

“I think for us and the fans, Champions League football [is the No1 target]. It’s what this club have always been involved in and as players it’s what we want to achieve.

“It’s been frustrating to watch [the Champions League games] and see them [teams like Barcelona] play, while we have to play on Thursday nights.

“I have been here several years and never played football on Thursday nights. So, hopefully, next season we are not going to be in it.

“We want to be in the top four, top three whatever — we want to be in the Champions League next season.”

Mikel also wishes he could play in the first team more regularly, even though they have such a heavy fixture list.

Benitez has been rotating his squad to help them cope with the schedule and they could end up playing a club-record 70 games this season.

Mikel accepts that what Benitez is doing is for his own good but added: “It is hard, especially if you’re physically fit, are in good form and the next game you don’t play.

“This is the first time it’s happened to me in the seven years I have been here — I’m either playing or not playing. It’s hard to take but it is something everyone has accepted since the manager came in. He said from the start he was going to rotate the team so we just have to get on with it.

“As a footballer you want to play all of the time especially when you know you’re doing well and you want to be in the team. You sacrifice so many things to be in the team, to be physically fit, and when you don’t get to play consecutively all the time it’s kind of frustrating.

“But the most important thing is the team. We need everyone now especially towards the end of this season. We need to keep winning games and if the team keeps doing that then I’m very happy.”

Meanwhile, striker Demba Ba was due to have a scan on an ankle injury today and is a doubt for the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City on Sunday.