Liverpool set for place in the sun

Rafael Benitez will take his Liverpool squad to a Spanish training camp ahead of their Champions League final to get them acclimatised.

Liverpool will fly out on Tuesday afternoon, straight after they have taken part in a media open day at Anfield.

Although full details are not certain yet, they are expected to be in Benitez's homeland for five days, returning the next weekend before they then fly to Athens on the following Monday morning ahead of the May 23 clash with AC Milan.

And it is possible that both Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher will have signed new contracts before the training trip.

There have been more negotiations this week and it seems that only minor details now need to be ironed out.

Benitez said: "I hope it may be done this week, but we are talking and we are sure it will be done soon."

And Benitez brushed aside fears of potential problems from another training camp, following the incidents that occurred when he took his squad to Portugal ahead of the Champions League victory in Barcelona back in February.

Then Craig Bellamy and John Arne Riise were involved in the alleged 'golf club incident' that ended with several players being fined by the club for breaking curfew.

Benitez said: "We still have to finalise the details, but it is likely we will go away for five days to prepare after we play Charlton.

"When we did this before the Barcelona game it had a positive impact, although I know people talked about other things in the end.

"The most positive thing is we can work together in a climate and in conditions which will be more like those we will face in the final."

He added: "I know people will mention that (the Portugal incident) again, but it is not an issue. We are thinking only about doing the right things to prepare the players for the final."

Both goalkeeper Jose Reina and midfielder Mohamed Sissoko are likely to be left out of the final-day clash with relegated Charlton.

Reina has not trained since injuring his shoulder against Fulham last weekend, although a scan has shown there is no serious damage.

But Benitez is unlikely to risk the Spanish international in what is now a meaningless game, although Reina will be fit for the European final.

Jerzy Dudek could be in goal for what will be his final farewell to Anfield before his contract runs out in the summer.

Sissoko has a knee problem from the same game at Craven Cottage and is more of a problem, but he is also expected to recover to be in the squad against Milan.