Liverpool (0) v Benfica (1), Anfield 7.45pm/ On TV: RTÉ 2, Sky Sports 2: Rafael Benitez insisted last night it is his intention to remain Liverpool's manager next season, though given the financial implications associated with progress into the next phase of this competition, much could depend on the 2005 winners squeezing beyond Benfica this evening and into the quarter-finals.

The Spaniard spent yesterday trying to deflect attention from his future and on to the task in hand, chiefly the need to overhaul a one-goal deficit surrendered in the Estadio da Luz last month. Yet, with Liverpool still to secure the investment that will bring sufficient funds to compete at the highest level, the reality remains the club is braced for Internazionale and Real Madrid to make their interest in Benitez official and, at some stage, leave the 45-year-old with an awkward decision to make.

Benitez's immediate commitment to Liverpool is not in doubt. "I do not have problems with the board, with the chief executive, or the chairman.

"I don't want to be distracting people (from the Benfica game) by talking about my future. I have three more years on my contract and I am happy. I will be here for the next game, but you never know about the future . . . If I can, I will be here next season.

"It is my intention to be here next season. My only concern is to improve with Liverpool and, if we win this game, it will make the financial situation a little easier."

Progress into the last eight will guarantee at least £3 million more, with the pursuit of second place in the Premiership ahead of Manchester United potentially worth £5 million.

Those amounts would help Benitez manoeuvre, though the onus remains emphatically on the board, and the chief executive Rick Parry, in particular, to attract sufficient outside funding to persuade the Spaniard to reject any overtures from Inter or Real.

Parry is aware he must provide evidence the club can match the manager's ambition. Benitez does not boast the same emotional attachment to Liverpool as he does to Madrid, with his own outlook shaped largely by cold professionalism.

There are parallels to be drawn in this evening's tie with Liverpool's final group game in last season's competition, when Olympiakos needed to be beaten by two goals with doubts having surfaced in the build-up over Steven Gerrard's future at the club. Gerrard proved the difference that night, rasping the late winner.

Benitez can make his own mark tonight by coaxing a goal from one of his spluttering forwards. Not since St Stephen's Day have the European champions scored twice at Anfield, with Djibril Cisse, Robbie Fowler and Fernando Morientes having now failed to find the net in 649, 358 and 956 minutes respectively, and Peter Crouch has scored once in 796 minutes for his club.

Yet, served up by Luis Garcia, Harry Kewell and Gerrard, Liverpool must conjure at least two goals tonight. "They are not confident about scoring so, if we do, what would happen then?" said Benfica's coach Ronaldo Koeman.

Benitez said: "I didn't have the confidence in Benfica that we would score because I couldn't see the team going forward enough or creating chances, but if we play as we did against Charlton (on Saturday) I am sure that we will do enough."

"We must play attacking, offensive football," said Benitez, "and we will know exactly what we need to do."