Benitez hopes to have close-season signing Alberto Aquilani available but his midfield will be without captain Steven Gerrard (groin) and Albert Riera (hamstring) while defenders Martin Kelly (ankle) and Martin Skrtel (muscle) are also out.
Liverpool have lost six of their last seven matches in all competitions, including the 2-1 home defeat by Lyon two weeks ago, and their hopes of reaching the knockout stage will be hanging by a thread if they lose at Stade Gerland.
Their Spain striker Fernando Torres, replaced after 63 minutes despite scoring in Saturday's 3-1 Premier League defeat at Fulham is likely to play in pain with an adductor muscle injury suffered on international duty last month.
"We are trying to manage (him) because he was close to having an operation... We have to take Fernando to Lyon because we don't have too many options," Benitez was quoted as saying on the club website on Monday.
Glen Johnson (calf), Daniel Agger (back), David Ngog (ankle) and Fabio Aurelio (calf) are among those fighting to be fit.
TOUGH TIMES
Jamie Carragher, sent off at Fulham along with Philipp Degen, said afterwards: "These are tough times, and it hurts. "We made up for a few things last week by beating Manchester United, but we have had two defeats since.
"We have got to sort this out this week on the training pitch because Lyon is another massive game."
"Even if we were under pressure, once again, we finished very strongly, just like at Anfield," said club president Jean-Michel Aulas.
"Now we are thinking of Liverpool, it is going to be a very tough match."
