Rafa Benitez faces more battles between club and country if Liverpool fail to get their season back on track.
The World Cup will become an unwanted distraction for the Kop boss unless his side is competing for honours in the New Year.
Star players Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres are putting their bodies on the line to help save the club's faltering season.
But Benitez knows some of his internationals will not be prepared to take the same risks with their fitness towards the end of the campaign if it means jeopardising their hopes in South Africa.
Torres is especially concerned about a recurring groin strain in such a huge year for Liverpool and Spain.
He and Gerrard have both postponed surgery to play on in a pivotal period.
Gerrard expects to make his first start in a month against Manchester City next weekend. Torres is targeting the Merseyside derby a week later.
Gerrard is avoiding going under the knife for now. But an operation later in the season is not being ruled out.
It would not be expected to keep him out for more than 12 days.
But Liverpool have so many huge fixtures on the horizon, Benitez can ill afford even a two-week absence for his captain.
As long as Liverpool are fighting for trophies, Gerrard and Torres will continue to put their club's interests first.
But Benitez knows that by March only the possibility of lifting silverware will keep the World Cup off his players' priority list.
Already as many as 12 first-teamers were unavailable for the key Champions League clash in Lyon.
Yet many of those players declared themselves fit for their international squads just three days later.
Liverpool have 17 players with World Cup aspirations.
The World Cup will become an unwanted distraction for the Kop boss unless his side is competing for honours in the New Year.
Star players Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres are putting their bodies on the line to help save the club's faltering season.
But Benitez knows some of his internationals will not be prepared to take the same risks with their fitness towards the end of the campaign if it means jeopardising their hopes in South Africa.
Torres is especially concerned about a recurring groin strain in such a huge year for Liverpool and Spain.
He and Gerrard have both postponed surgery to play on in a pivotal period.
Gerrard expects to make his first start in a month against Manchester City next weekend. Torres is targeting the Merseyside derby a week later.
Gerrard is avoiding going under the knife for now. But an operation later in the season is not being ruled out.
It would not be expected to keep him out for more than 12 days.
But Liverpool have so many huge fixtures on the horizon, Benitez can ill afford even a two-week absence for his captain.
As long as Liverpool are fighting for trophies, Gerrard and Torres will continue to put their club's interests first.
But Benitez knows that by March only the possibility of lifting silverware will keep the World Cup off his players' priority list.
Already as many as 12 first-teamers were unavailable for the key Champions League clash in Lyon.
Yet many of those players declared themselves fit for their international squads just three days later.
Liverpool have 17 players with World Cup aspirations.
No comments:
Post a Comment