Liverpool Football Club News

• Nickname:Reds
• Founded:1892
• Manager:Kenny Dalglish

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Benitez still upbeat on Alonso

03 Aug 2009 - 08:36:34

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Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has repeated his hope that both Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano will remain with the club next season.

Spain midfielder Alonso seems poised to leave Anfield to join Real Madrid, while Argentina ace Mascherano has been linked with Barcelona - although that trail has gone cold in recent days.

Benitez said after a 3-0 friendly defeat at Espanyol: "He (Alonso) is our player and we want him to stay."

When asked whether Mascherano would move on, the Spaniard's answer was a simple 'No'.

Benitez also tried to play down the importance of a heavy defeat in Barcelona, telling the club's official website: "The game was very important for them.

"For us it was a friendly game, but you have to play with intensity in every match and you have to work harder than we did.

"I don't think it was a problem of one or two players, I think the team as a whole were not working hard enough.

"Espanyol were very good moving between the lines. We were not pressing and working together and it created a big problem for our defenders.

"But when these things happen in pre-season, you can change things for the start of the season. We have 15 more days and all the players can work together."