Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani has accepted that he may well have just a bit part to play between now and the end of the season.
An ankle injury stopped him making his debut until October and since then he has found first team appearances few and far between despite his £20m price tag.
Benitez says the team will come first between now and the end of the season and Aquilani has accepted it.
"When you have been injured for a while it's not easy for a player," he told the Post. "Then, when you are available and the team isn't doing well, it makes it even more difficult.
"You have to decide if you can afford to give him two or three games when you know he's maybe not at the level he could be, so you could end up losing some of them.
"Alberto isn't stupid, he knows the priority now has to be the team and what's best for that. All he can do is keep training and make sure he is ready when we need him.
"But as I said, the most important thing we have to think of is the team, not one player."