Former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann has claimed that Brendan Rodgers was within his rights to field a weakened side against Real Madrid on Tuesday evening.

The Reds manager dropped the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling to the bench for the 1-0 defeat in the Spanish capital, but the German defended the decision to do so on talkSPORT.

Hamann said: "You have to be realistic. Brendan Rodgers was 100% right when he said that Liverpool played the first eight or nine league games like everyone was secured a first team position. They have underperformed.

"What Rodgers did, against Real Madrid, was show the people behind the first XI that he believes in them. It shows a lot of trust and they will gain a lot of confidence [by] coming through that game.

"I wouldn't be surprised if quite a few of the players who played against Real Madrid line up for the Chelsea match at the weekend. They deserve it."

Liverpool travel to Ludogorets later this month in the Champions League.