Last updated at 4:59 PM on 27th February 2012
Liverpool forward Craig Bellamy believes the club deserve Champions League football but knows it will take more than a Carling Cup victory to prove they are worthy of a return to Europe's elite.
A penalty shootout win over npower Championship side Cardiff at Wembley on Sunday ended the Reds' six-year trophy drought and earned them a place in next season's Europa League.
Having failed to qualify for Europe last May that was the minimum requirement from the current campaign, but Bellamy knows everyone at the club are setting their sights higher.
More to come: Bellamy insists Liverpool's season is not over
'It's not the end of the season for us now we've won a trophy,' said the Wales international, who came on as a substitute on the hour against his hometown club.
'The pressure is on the players at this club to perform day in and day out to the highest level and that's what we have to continue to try to do. Champions League football is what every footballer at every club wants.
'It's the place where this club deserves to be but we've got to go out and prove that on a regular basis and hopefully we're able to do that.'
The gap to fourth place in the Barclays Premier League was stretched to seven points at the weekend after victories for Arsenal and Chelsea, but Liverpool have a match in hand and host the Gunners on Saturday.
Much has been made of the effect of bringing some silverware back to Anfield and how it can provide a springboard for more trophies, but Bellamy has stressed there is no guarantee it will happen.
Springboard: Bellamy hopes the Carling Cup is the first of many trophies
'We will have to wait and see on that. Some thought Birmingham's (Carling Cup victory) last year was a platform for that and it certainly wasn't,' said the 32-year-old, referring to the Blues' relegation from the top flight.
Bellamy admitted he had a lot of sympathy for Cardiff, where he spent last season on loan, who put up a brave fight at Wembley.
'We knew it was going to be a difficult game, which obviously it proved to be,' he said. 'Finals are very, very difficult and that proved to be [the case] again.
'We thought we were going to win it towards the end but they fought back and credit to them, they were outstanding.
'Unfortunately for them and fortunately for us, no-one is going to remember what happened, it's just going to be another trophy to this club's great history.
'So I do feel a little bit sorry for them, but it's a trophy for us.'
What a great game - the best team won as the major stats below show. Liverpool FC - the most successful Club in England. Cardiff City Liverpoool Official match stats Possession Cardiff - 35% Liverpool - 65% Corners Cardiff - 3 Liverpool - 19 Goal attempts Cardiff - 13 Liverpool - 45 Official major trophy stats Liverpool 41 Man Utd 40 Everton 15 LOL! - YNWA
- JoeR, Liverpool UK, 27/2/2012 18:33
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