Another Training Camp In Spain Again Pre-Athens

[RafaShanks]

Benitez builds for final with training in Spain

 

By Paul Walker

 

Published: 10 May 2007

 

Rafael Benitez will take his squad to a Spanish training camp ahead of their Champions League final against Milan to get them acclimatised to the expected high temperatures in Athens.

 

Liverpool will fly out next Tuesday afternoon, straight after they have taken part in a media open day at Anfield. Although full details are not certain yet, they are expected to be in Benitez's homeland for five days, returning the next weekend before they fly to Athens on the following Monday morning ahead of the 23 May meeting with Milan.

 

It is also possible that both Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher will have signed new contracts before the training trip.

 

There have been more negotiations this week and it seems that only minor details now need to be ironed out. Benitez said: "I hope it may be done this week, but we are talking and we are sure it will be done soon."

 

Benitez brushed aside fears of a repeat of any of the problems that arose at another training camp earlier in the season, when he took his squad to Portugal ahead of the Champions League victory in Barcelona in February.

 

Then Craig Bellamy set about John Arne Riise with a golf club in the early hours of the morning - an incident that resulted in several players being fined by the club for breaking a curfew.

 

Benitez said: "We still have to finalise the details, but it is likely we will go away for five days to prepare after we play Charlton.

 

"When we did this before the Barcelona game it had a positive impact, although I know people talked about other things in the end.

 

"The most positive thing is we can work together in a climate and in conditions which will be more like those we will face in the final."

 

He added: "I know people will mention that [the Portugal incident] again, but it is not an issue. We are thinking only about doing the right things to prepare the players for the final."

 

Both goalkeeper Jose Reina and the midfielder Mohamed Sissoko are likely to be left out of the final Premiership match of the season against relegated Charlton Athletic on Sunday.

 

Reina, the hero of Liverpool's Champions League semi-final victory over Chelsea, has not trained since injuring his shoulder against Fulham last weekend, although a scan has shown there is no serious damage.

 

But Benitez is unlikely to risk the Spanish international in what is now a meaningless game, although Reina will be fit for the European Cup final.

 

Jerzy Dudek could be in goal for what will be his final farewell to Anfield before his contract runs out in the summer.

 

Sissoko has a knee problem from the same game at Craven Cottage and his injury is more of a problem, but he is also expected to recover to be in the squad against Milan.

 

http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/eu...icle2527650.ece

 

Lets hope it has the same effect as it did with the Barca game, minus the golf clubs.

[floyd the barber]

anyone else kinda worried by the reina injury..

 

i know it says he will be fit the champs league final...but still, a bit of a worry that.

[toshi]

i'm sure karaoke session will be no longer in a team agenda there

[RafaShanks]

i'm sure karaoke session will be no longer in a team agenda there

 

Not sure about that. "Winner Takes It All" would be very appropriate.

[Beardsley]

If the trip ends in another "golf accident" and then turns into the same result as against Barcelona - I'll buy Bellamy a full set of irons myself.

[Snoeker]

We be clubbing.