Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Rafa Benitez Reveals Fears For International Liverpool Stars Ahead Of Derby

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has hit out at an international schedule which will see several of his players travelling around the world just days before the Merseyside derby.

A 2-1 victory over Reading at Anfield on Saturday, coupled with Everton’s 1-0 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday has seen Liverpool edge three points ahead of their neighbours in the battle to secure the final Champions League qualification spot.

However, Benitez is seething over the prospect of sweating on the return of many of his star performers barely 48 hours before they lock horns with David Moyes’s side on March 30.

Like many Premier League managers, Benitez is frustrated by having to release his big names for effectively meaningless international friendly fixtures at a crucial stage of the season.

Benitez, who was without Fernando Torres for the trip to Chelsea this season after the striker was injured while playing for Spain, is particularly galled at in-form midfielder Javier Mascherano having to travel to Egypt with Argentina.

The 23-year-old, who completed his £18million move to Anfield earlier this month, has been one of Liverpool’s stellar performers in recent weeks and his combative style seems ideally suited to the upcoming derby tussle which could make or break either of the Mersey clubs’ hopes of sealing a place in European football’s elite club tournament next season.

A sarcastic Benitez said: “I’m really, really happy that Mascherano will go to Egypt to play a friendly – things like that you can’t understand. But the rules are rules, so the players must go.

“It’s the same problem for all the top sides. Normally the best players are in the top sides and they are playing Champions League or for the title. We’ve been talking about this 100 times.

“You can’t speak to the coach. You can say ‘be careful’ but they are thinking about themselves, and it makes it very difficult.”

Including the internationals, Liverpool face six games in 16 games, starting with a trip to Old Trafford on Sunday before the derby a week later and a hat- trick of clashes against Arsenal. Having opened up a three-point advantage over Everton, Liverpool will be eager to maintain the gap this weekend when they face a trip to Old Trafford to face the champions.

Rafael Benitez’s side have not won any of their last seven Premier League meetings against Manchester United, a run which has included six defeats, but Brazilian full-back Fabio Aurelio is convinced Liverpool can continue their run of seven straight wins by stunning Sir Alex Ferguson’s charges.

He said: “For sure it will be the real test of where we are at the moment.

“It is a really important game for us, and we must gain points.

“We know against top teams anything can happen but we need to be strong enough to go into these games with confidence.

“Or course playing in Old Trafford is really difficult but we have to believe that we can go and win also. And if we keep doing our job as we are, we will be much closer at the end of the season.”

Aurelio added: “When you get good results, the team starts to believe a bit more. We are in the quarter- finals of the Champions League again and it is really important for the confidence.

“But to be in it next season we have to finish fourth so we cannot forget the Premier League. We need to keep working harder in both competitions.”

Aurelio, who netted his first goal for Liverpool against Bolton earlier this month, is delighted that his fellow South American Mascherano also broke his scoring duck against Reading on Saturday.

He said: “Javier has been having a great season, working really well for the team and deserved to have a great moment like the one on Saturday. Everyone was happy for him.”

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