Rafa Benitez moves to put 'war' with Liverpool owners to one side

Nov 27 2007

Rafael Benitez refused to discuss his war with Liverpool’s American owners as he concentrated on making sure the Anfield club stay in the Champions League.

A week of astonishing acrimony between the Liverpool boss and club owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett will be put aside when the Merseysiders fight for their European lives against Porto tomorrow.

And Benitez will go into the clash with the Portuguese champions after clear-the-air talks with chief executive Rick Parry.

Hicks and Gillett have been enraged by Benitez’s insubordination in a clear breakdown in their relationship with the Spaniard over transfer policy.

Benitez has been at odds with Parry too, so to be told that the club’s administrative head was in charge of transfers was probably the last straw for the Spaniard.

But with speculation rife that Benitez’s outbursts, first in an astonishing media conference last week and then after the win at Newcastle on Saturday, would cost him his job, there have been concerted efforts to cool down the crisis.

Benitez said: “As manager of Liverpool I know that the match against Porto is the most important thing, so I do not want to talk about anything else.

“I am sure we will win and play well, then I will be thinking about the next game, beating Bolton on Sunday.

“You can ask about the meeting with Rick Parry, but I will only talk about Porto, that is the only thing I am concerned about.

“We were thinking about Porto, were talking, but we talk a lot. We were talking about different things, but the most important thing for my club and our supporters is the game.”

Privately Benitez has made it clear he wants to stay at the club. Whether this latest charm offensive will work with the Americans only time will tell.

Their are even suggestions that the pair’s own relationship is not good, but that they are united in a desire to eventually end Benitez’s reign at the club.

This stance has angered Liverpool fans, who have always backed the man who has taken them to two European Cup finals. A fans’ march to the ground is believed to be planned ahead of the Porto game, plus a chanting of the manager’s name throughout the game.

Benitez would not even be drawn on whether he is pleased with such a public outpouring of support.

He added: “The fans are the most important thing, always. Their support is fantastic, you could hear that in the semi-finals with Chelsea, it was the same against Besiktas.

“And if they are behind the team again then I will be very pleased.

“The most important thing is the club and the supporters, the game is more important.

“We know we must win, but we must not think that is the only way. We must not make mistakes and lose the game.

“If we draw and then win in Marseille, it is still possible to qualify for the last 16, we must not forget that and end up making mistakes that mean we lose.

“As for the fans, I want to hear the same noise that we had against Chelsea in the Champions League semi-finals, that will please me.

“We have enough confidence and experience to win this one. We have been here before, we have played huge games against Olympiacos, Juventus and Chelsea.

“We know what must be done, we must approach the game with confidence and the right mentality. We are in good form so we must continue to play in that manner.”

Earlier in the day, Benitez had overseen a light-hearted training session at the club’s Melwood HQ, with the emphasis on humour and a clear underlining of unity with his players.

Skipper Steven Gerrard and goalkeeper Jose Reina both insisted that the players will not allow the crisis to affect them against Porto.

Benitez deflected any questioning of his relationship with the club’s owners, pointedly looking ahead to the Porto game.

He said: “Our form is much better now, we are playing some very good football, and we must maintain our momentum.

“We must do better against Porto than we did in Portugal when we drew our first match. The difference this time is that we will have our fans behind us, and we are playing better. We are in a better position than before.

“For the future? I have my plans ready...for winning the next game.”

Benitez has no new injury problems, but is likely to recall Javier Mascherano to midfield after he was rested in the 3-0 win at Newcastle.