Benitez in the dark about future

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez aims to lead his side into the third European final of his Anfield reign tonight admitting he has been given no assurances about his future at the club.

The Reds aim to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit in their Europa League semi-final return meeting with Atletico Madrid at Anfield to salvage a season where the club have been way off the title pace in the Barclays Premier League.

There has been constant speculation over the Spaniard’s future on Merseyside after he gave a “guarantee” that the club would qualify for the Champions League with a fourth-place finish. The Reds are struggling to meet that pledge and are currently two points behind fourth-placed Tottenham, who also have a game in hand.

Benitez, who has been linked with a move to Italian giants Juventus, was quoted in several of today’s UK newspapers as saying: “I have spent a year listening to names like Martin O’Neill, Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klinsmann and Frank Rijkaard (being linked with his job), but I’ve just kept doing my job.

“All my focus is on the next game, that’s the future for me, but no one from the club has spoken to me about mine.

“For me the next game is always the most important and playing in a European final again would be massive for any club.”