Rafa orders Reds to improve

2008-08-26 18:06

Liverpool - Rafa Benitez demanded his Liverpool players step up their game to avoid elimination from the Champions League before the lucrative group stage.

The five-time European champion was lucky to leave Standard Liege two weeks ago with a scoreless draw, with the third qualifying round first leg exposing the fault lines.

While a first English title since 1990 might be the fans' priority, falling before the first hurdle in the Champions League on Wednesday night could prove costly for Benitez after recently renewing his spat with the Anfield hierarchy over transfers.

"From the start of the season we are always under pressure - always," Benitez said on Tuesday. "I think it's important to say (to the players) listen, 'We have to play well, we have to improve.'

"If we play well, score goals and win some games in a row, we can talk about titles, but for me at the moment the main thing for me is to improve the game."

Pepe Reina's penalty save in Belgium prevented the 2005 champion and last season's beaten semi-finalist going into the second leg a goal behind.

"Everyone knows how important it is for our season to get into the group stage," defender Jamie Carragher said. "You have to bear in mind this is probably the biggest game of the season already, and in some cases it may be the most important match they've ever had in their career.

Stay focused

"It would be unthinkable for us not to be in the Champions League. You just want to get this qualifier out the way, put Europe on the backburner for a while and get focused for a couple of months on doing well in the league."

Benitez was buoyed by the off-season form but is frustrated by the slack start to the new campaign, with unimpressive victories in the first two Premier League matches against Sunderland and Middlesbrough by one-goal margins.

"We were scoring a lot of goals at the end of the pre-season, so I was really pleased, but we haven't played well the last three games," Benitez said. "We have to improve in set pieces, we have to improve in open play. It was a bad game (in Belgium), the best thing was the result.

"Now we have to improve, we have to play better and we have to score goals."

Benitez was disgruntled after reportedly being denied the funds to buy midfielder Gareth Barry from Aston Villa in the English off-season's most drawn-out transfer saga, with Ireland striker Robbie Keane remaining the only big-money addition.

Benitez, however, finally looks set to strengthen his left flank with the signing of Espanyol midfielder Albert Riera. A fee is yet to be agreed for the 26-year-old Spain international, but the Reds are very close to completing the transfer, a source at the Premier League club said on Tuesday.

He was speaking on condition of anonymity because negotiations were continuing.

Benitez noted the financial rewards of reaching the group stage.

"We know the money is really important, but now we are so close to the end of the transfer window that it would not make a massive difference," the Spaniard said.

- AP