[lfc-news] Finnan reveals Champions League 'fear' - Echo

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Liverpool Echo, 6 Dec 2004
Finnan reveals Champions League 'fear'
By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

STEVE FINNAN admits fear of returning to the UEFA Cup will motivate
Liverpool's players in their make-or-break clash with Olympiakos on Wednesday.

The Reds must beat the Greeks to progress into the last 16 of the Champions
League.

Any other result means Liverpool must settle for a UEFA spot.

That, according to Finnan, will be scant consolation.

"We have a lot of respect for the UEFA Cup but getting to the next stage of
the Champions League is what it's all about for us," said Finnan.

"With us getting so close, the lads will be very disappointed if we ended
up back in the UEFA Cup.

"We'd just have to get on with it and do our best to win it, but first and
foremost we want to stay in the Champions League, not think about anything
else."

Finnan is encouraged by the improved form of the Reds who, despite only
drawing on Saturday, played some of their best football of the season
during the first half. We'll go into the Olympiakos game with a lot of
confidence," he said.

"We all know what's at stake, but if we play the way we did against Arsenal
and in the first half against Villa, I don't think we'll have a problem.

"Maybe the second half was more even and a point away from home is never a
bad result, but I think overall we deserved to win."

Manager Rafa Benitez must decide whether to risk Milan Baros, who will have
a fitness test tomorrow.

Reds chief executive Rick Parry, meanwhile, reiterated that future success
is the only way the Reds can guarantee keeping their best players.

With Chelsea reportedly planning another swoop for Steven Gerrard, Parry
said: "We cannot guarantee any player will stay in this day and age.

"We were all pleased Steven committed his future to the club by signing a
new contract, but we're certainly not complacent about the future in this
present climate. What Stevie craves is success, like we all do at the club.

"If we win silverware everyone is pleased. If we do that, we'll keep our
best players. Other clubs can keep knocking on the door, but it will not be
opening, that's for sure."

Meanwhile Mike Jefferies of the L4 group, which has drawn up its own
investment proposals for Liverpool, has strenuosly denied a weekend report
which claimed he had criticised current Liverpool chairman David Moores.


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