Leighton Baines believes Europa League progress can be a step towards “something bigger” for Everton, with the England left-back confident Roberto Martínez’s style can deliver honours and Champions League football to Goodison Park.
Everton top Group H going into Thursday’s return meeting with Lille on Merseyside having picked up important points in France and Krasnodar following an opening win over Wolfsburg. Sylvain Distin is expected to return to central defence with Antolín Alcaraz facing between six and 12 weeks out with a dislocated shoulder. The length of the Paraguayan’s absence will be determined by whether he requires surgery.
Martínez has not shied from his ambition to win the Europa League, a prize with the bonus of a Champions League place from this season, and Baines admits qualification from a challenging group is not the limit of Everton’s aims this season.
The 29-year-old said: “Europe is an added incentive for all of us. We all want to be part of something bigger and go on to that next level. We want to bring that next level to the football club and that is the motivation.
That is what we are all working towards. We want Champions League football and silverware. We don’t just want to do well, we want to create special memories. These European nights are special at the moment, the support we have on the road at places like Lille is just unbelievable, but we’d like to excite the supporters even more if we can. We all want to play at the top level and share those moments with the fans as well.”
Everton and Lille played a goalless draw a fortnight ago but Baines believes his manager’s style, plus long-term planning behind the scenes at Goodison, have equipped the club for more than Europa League football.
He explained: “We are trying to develop our style into a way that isn’t limited, so that there’s no ceiling if we continue to improve on what we do, and we know we have still got to do that. It’s the style the top teams will also be playing and it would be well suited to the Champions League if we go on to that level of football.
“We have got a really good young group of players here now as well. I am part of the senior group if you like, with Phil Jagielka, Tim Howard, Leon Osman and Tony Hibbert, and there is also a secondary core group now of Seamus Coleman, Ross Barkley, John Stones and James McCarthy who are all key players in the squad and are the real future now. It is part of the senior group’s job and responsibility to help them move forward because they are the future. Me staying, then Seamus, Ross and Stonesy, who have all signed long-term contracts as well, is a real sign of where the club is at. They are all top players and the future of this football club. That is why we are heading in the right direction.”
Everton Probable 4-2-3-1 Howard; Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Baines; Besic, Barry; McGeady, Barkley, Pienaar; Lukaku.
