Former Liverpool defensive midfielder Dietmar Hamann feels the Reds will make huge progress if they manage to win the Europa League this season.
Jurgen Klopp’s team, who will face Villarreal in the semi-final second leg of the continental competition on Thursday, lost the first leg 1-0 in Spain last week.
Liverpool now not only have to beat Villarreal but also have to be wary of conceding away goals in their bid to reach the Europa League final.
And Hamann, who won the UEFA Cup, now rechristened the Europa League, and the Champions League with Liverpool, thinks playing in such high-profile games will make the Merseyside giants grow as a team.
"It's very hard to put into words how much it will mean. First of all, it's a European trophy – which we won 15 years ago”, the German told Liverpool’s official site.
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"I think that made a big difference to our progress because, as a team and individual, you need to play in these big games and it makes you grow as a player and a team.
“If we were to win that trophy and put another European cup on the pennant then it would be massive."
Liverpool, who are currently eighth in the Premier League, now need to win the Europa League to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
The Anfield outfit edged out Borussia Dortmund 5-4 on aggregate in spectacular fashion in the semi-finals of the Europa League last month.
