LIVERPOOL -- Mario Balotelli's top-level experience will be crucial to Liverpool's hopes of Champions League progress, according to manager Brendan Rodgers.
Balotelli was a part of the Inter Milan squad that won the competition under Jose Mourinho in 2010, although he did not play in the final victory over Bayern Munich in Madrid.
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The 24-year-old has scored in the Champions League for Inter, Manchester City and AC Milan, and is aiming to add Liverpool to that list when they host Bulgarian title holders Ludogorets on Tuesday.
Balotelli is set to lead the Liverpool attack as Daniel Sturridge continues his recovery from a thigh injury suffered in training on Sept. 5 while on England duty.
But the Italy international has yet to shine in his first two appearances for the Reds since making a 16 million-pound move from AC Milan on Aug. 25.
He missed a number of good chances in a 3-0 victory at Tottenham on his debut on Aug. 31, and was ineffective in a 1-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa last Saturday.
Rodgers, though, pointed out that Balotelli was feeling the effects of illness in the days leading up to the Villa game, and is hopeful of a better showing on Tuesday.
The Liverpool manager said: "The boy's only just arrived at the club. He's working very hard on the training field.
"He was unfortunate that he was ill last week and it was really only on the day of the game that he declared himself fit, which shows that he really wanted to get out and play here at Anfield.
"He's also experienced as well. He's arguably one of the most experienced players here in terms of this level of competition and international calibre.
"The best players enjoy that responsibility. I think it's one he's relishing. On the training field, he's going to work hard to accept that responsibility. He knows that he's been brought in here to do a job, which is to create and score goals -- and work hard."
Tuesday's match will be Liverpool's first in the Champions League since they exited the group stage with a 2-1 defeat at home to Fiorentina in December 2009, and Rodgers believes that their return is overdue. He has been left in no doubt as to the importance of the competition to Liverpool -- who have won it five times -- after meeting a group of fans in his office during the build-up to Tuesday's match.
The manager said: "It's only over the last couple of days, when the game becomes close, and the Champions League footballs come out again on the training field, that it brings home how long the club has been away. It's probably been too long.
"That has been our objective since I came in. The main priority was to bring the club back to this level, because this is a club that really needs to be at this level. It's one of the great football clubs and this is the elite competition in club football. It feels brilliant to be back.
"And coming off the back of a defeat, it's even more important for us, because it's a game that can't come quickly enough. Last season, we'd have had to wait a week.
"I think the supporters are really going to enjoy it. I've had a few of them in my office in the last week or so talking about the group games and everything here, and what they're looking forward to.
"So from them, I know first-hand that they're really looking forward to being back, travelling throughout Europe again and that's why we do it. We do it for the supporters."
Centre-back Martin Skrtel returned to training on Sunday after missing two matches with a knee injury, but will not be ready to face Ludogorets, according to Rodgers, and is instead likely to make his comeback in the Premier League match at West Ham on Saturday.
Winger Lazar Markovic is suspended after being sent off while playing for Benfica in last season's Europa League semifinal defeat to Juventus.
Midfielders Joe Allen and Emre Can remain out with knee injuries, while defender Glen Johnson has a thigh problem.
Blugarian side Ludogorets, who were only formed in 2001 and were still playing third-tier football as recently as 2010, qualified for the Champions League group stage after a remarkable playoff victory over Romanian champions Steaua Bucharest.
Goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov was sent off towards the end of extra-time in the second leg as the tie ended 1-1 on aggregate, forcing defender Cosmin Moti to go in goal for the penalty shootout, during which he saved two spot-kicks as the Bulgarian side won it 6-5.
With Stoyanov suspended and back-up Ivan Cvorovic out with a shoulder injury, Ludogorets face a goalkeeping crisis ahead of the match at Anfield.
But Rodgers said: "We will respect them as we would if we were playing Real Madrid."