Benitez focused on Reds' future

Rafael Benitez insists he is far from unsettled at Anfield as Liverpool head into their Champions League crunch match against Benfica.

The Spaniard may need more funding to give Liverpool a fighting chance of competing at the same level of Chelsea in the Premiership.

And following a weekend of speculation linking Benitez to Real Madrid and Inter Milan, the Anfield board may be alerted to their manager’s ever-blossoming reputation throughout Europe.

But Benitez has a masterplan for the remaining three years of his contract, which begins with seeing off Benfica in the last-16 tomorrow night when Liverpool begin with a 1-0 deficit from the first leg.

Home advantage may help extend the defence of their European crown and Benitez dismissed links to rival clubs, stressing: “I am not worried about other things, only that I do my best and I get my players to do their best. We are all really focused, nothing else matters.

“I am not thinking about losing. I am happy here and I do not have problems with anybody here.

“My only concern is to improve with Liverpool. And if we win this game it will make the financial situation a little easier.

“I am only concerned about winning. Worrying about other things will only distract us from our objective.

“I do not have problems with the board, with the chief executive, or the chairman. I am happy here and all I want to do now is to beat Benfica and then turn my attention to beating Arsenal at the weekend.”

Liverpool’s hierarchy are listening intently to what Benitez wants and a spate of headlines linking him with top clubs on the continent will only concentrate a few minds further.

Strengthening his squad will have to wait until the summer, however.

For now Benitez is focused on squeezing goals out of his goal-shy team.

Liverpool have not scored twice in a match in their last nine fixtures, but after losing in Lisbon a fortnight ago they urgently need to halt that run - although a 1-0 win after extra-time would result in a penalty shoot-out.

“I have confidence in my team,” said Benitez.

“I know we must score two, but we can do that. Our supporters will make us work harder and we have scored three in the final against Milan (last season) and earlier against Olympiacos. We can do this. I am convinced.

“Benfica will do what they do well, which means trying to hit us on the counter attack.

“They have good players for that system, (Laurent) Robert and Simao (Sabrosa).

“That means they have quality and pace and we must be careful as we go forward looking for what we need.”

He added: “We did not play well in Lisbon and played without confidence and did not control the game. We also conceded a goal that really annoyed me.

“But playing at our real level then I know we can beat them. We have a better idea now about what we need to do and how we do it.

“Sometimes even players with experience make mistakes, the reality is that everybody must have confidence in what they do.

“We have had this problem before, Olympiacos even scored first here and everyone remembers how we recovered against Milan.

“This is the most important game of our season but I am hoping for the next one to be more important than this, it means we will have got through.

“But we have no doubt about how important this game is for the club’s progress.”

Finnish centre-back Sami Hyypia is winning his fight to be fit after damaging a hamstring in the goalless draw with Charlton on Saturday.

He needed a precautionary scan but has since been passed fit to train and Liverpool will give him a late fitness test before confirming their side against the Portuguese club.

Liverpool will recall Steve Finnan, John Arne Riise, Xabi Alonso, Fernando Morientes and Luis Garcia, who were rested for Saturday’s goalless draw against Charlton. Jan Kromkamp and Daniel Agger are both cup-tied.