“We have three big games in 10 days in three competitions and we have lost our top goalscorer,” said Benitez.
“It is difficult to be calm about it. This was another international friendly in a busy period for clubs at this time of the season.
“It is crazy enough that they go away and have different training systems, diets, new ideas. Then they get injured.”
Benitez also faces an anxious wait on the return of Javier Mascherano, who flew to Los Angeles for Argentina’s friendly against Guatemala on Thursday evening.
“Any friendly should be just that,” said Benitez. “You cannot play Guatemala in Los Angeles like Argentina have done, it is crazy.
“OK, so they won 5-0, but Javier will not be back with us until Friday.”
You have to question the point of these fixtures, and with Liverpool already up against it in the league this was exactly the wrong kind of news for us reds.