Benitez won't gamble with Gerrard

Rafael Benitez played an elaborate game of cloak and danger over the fitness of his captain Steven Gerrard ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League showdown with Real Madrid.

Gerrard travelled to the Spanish capital in manager Benitez’s 20-man squad with a huge question mark hanging over his damaged hamstring, and whether he could be risked in the first leg of this last-16 clash at the magnificent Santiago Bernabeu.

With Liverpool’s domestic title challenge hanging by a thread, their continued involvement in the world’s biggest club competition is vital for the rest of their season.

And Gerrard is needed to lead from the front if they are going to have any chance against a Madrid side in rampant form, having won their last nine La Liga games in succession.

A senior Madrid official went as far as to say Liverpool would be hammered by the Spanish champions.

So Gerrard is clearly needed, but Benitez privately insisted that he would wait until tomorrow lunchtime before making a final decision.

The Spaniard said today: Steven was not fit to face Manchester City on Sunday, but we will now wait to see how he does in two training sessions before making a decision about this game.

It will not be a gamble. If the doctor says he is okay, then it is not a risk. Steven is more mature now, he would not make a decision that would be considered a risk.

He will be involved in light training sessions, we will not try to hide anything. We will make a decision when we are sure.

Gerrard knows he must give something to the team, and if he cannot do that he will know he is not ready. I can trust Steven on that.

It was not only the Gerrard issue that occupied a packed media conference ahead of the match between two clubs who have won the European Cup 14 times between them.

Asked whether he felt the matches with Madrid would have any impact on his ongoing contract negotiations, Benitez said: Of course not, these are important games for us as a club

We have important games now and I only want to concentrate on football.

You have to judge a manager for his career, not just one or two games.

Benitez’s future has been a subject for discussion over the weeks of contract wrangling, and there are even murmurings that the American owners may lose patience.

That would open the way for a possible move from Madrid for his services, with current coach Juande Ramos only on a short-term contract.

Much will depend on the club’s forthcoming presidential elections, but Benitez said: am only concerned by Real’s 11 players on the pitch, nothing else concerns me.

It is more important to concentrate on that than the other things.

Benitez clearly has fond memories of the club he has always supported.

He said: This is a big game, but not just because I used to play and work here. I am a professional, so I want to win with my team, that is the only motivation for me.

I cannot think about the past, I cannot change anything, all I can do is try to win this game now.

I have memories here. I have met many friends today. It’s a pleasure to come back and see so many faces that I remember.

But he acknowledged that former Spurs boss Ramos has done a fine job in such a short space of time to turn around Real’s fortress.

He said: “Ramos has done very well here, Real are winning many games in a row. But it is not about managers and coaches, it is only about what the players do on the pitch. This is not a personal thing.

“He has said, though, that big games are decided by small details. And he is a professional and I agree with that. Maybe he should have a talk with his chairman (who has said Real will hammer Liverpool) and decide what should be said.

“But they are winning games in a row and so have more confidence. Defensively they have improved. Some players who were injured are back.

“And signing Lassana Diarra means they have two midfielders who can defend more, so they are more solid.