By Redsfan
April 20 2005

Rafael Benitez urged his players to push hard for the fourth place ensuring Champions League football. The Reds play Portsmouth at Fratton Park tonight and he wants his players to forget about the Champions League and concentrate on the two Premiership matches they have this week. He told liverpoolfc.tv:

"It would be great to be in the final of the Champions League but if we lose the final and don't finish in the top four then we won't be in the competition next season.

"We will fight until the very end though because we don't know how many points we might need to finish fourth. All we know is that we need more points than Everton and Bolton.

"It is very important to be in the Champions League and not only for the money. But if we need to work without the money from the Champions League next season then we can do it. We just need to work harder with our scouting department to find solutions for the future.

"I am not afraid of working outside the Champions League next season, but we want Champions League football."

He added: "If we do not qualify for fourth place because Everton or Bolton win their remaining games then we will work even harder to improve next season. I am sure we will be very close to Chelsea, Arsenal and Man United next year whether we are in the Champions League or not.

"In any job you know more about it in the second year than in the first and so I am sure we will be better."