Source: Telegraph
Rafael Benitez: Liverpool performance against Lille in Europa League 'proves Riera was wrong'
Riera was yesterday suspended and transfer listed by Liverpool after his scathing attack in a radio interview in his homeland as it emerged he had been ostracised from the first team squad for an altercation with a teenage reserve player.[LNB]Benitez contacted Riera's agent to inform him of the club's swift sanctions and inform him that the Spanish international would not be required at training until Monday.[LNB] Related ArticlesLiverpool 3 Lille 0, agg 3-1Albert Riera transfer listed for 'sinking ship' mutinyManchester United v Liverpool: match previewLiverpool 'a sinking ship' under Rafa BenítezEuropa League fixturesSport on televisionSeeing off Lille, though, was a necessary riposte to many of Riera's claims, with Benitez at pains to point out the unity evident in his side's celebrations of Steven Gerrard's penalty and Fernando Torres's ruthlessly taken double.[LNB]'We will deal with it internally,' said the Liverpool manager, who admitted that the timing of the outburst was 'not the best for the team. It is clear that this performance suggests [Riera's claims were wrong]. Sometimes you do not need to talk too much, just see the players working together in training and on the pitch.' [LNB]It was a sentiment echoed by Steven Gerrard, whose opening goal was complemented by two from Fernando Torres. 'The reaction [to losing at Wigan last week] has been superb,' said the Liverpool captain. [LNB]'[Benitez] is the manager and he has the right to criticise the team at the right time. Now we can look forward to the Manchester United game on Sunday.' [LNB]That game will not feature Riera, whose comments came as the conclusion to more than a month's deterioration in his relationship with Benitez after he was fined and excluded from the first team squad following an unprovoked clash with a promising young player at the club's Melwood training base.[LNB]It is his withering assault on Benitez, though, which is likely to lead to the end of his Liverpool career, with both CSKA and Spartak Moscow thought to be preparing offers. [LNB]Riera will be fined two weeks' wages despite attempts yesterday to diffuse the situation in a second radio interview in his homeland.[LNB]'I do not want to make trouble with the manager,' Riera said. 'I am not interested in making Rafa my enemy, quite the opposite, but ultimately it is about playing, and if I am not, we have to talk about why not. We have not talked about it at all.'[LNB]
