Ace Javier in plea for Benitez to sign deal.

Byline: By IAN DOYLE

JAVIER MASCHERANO has led the declarations of delight from Liverpool players that Rafael Benitez wants to stay on as manager at Anfield.

Benitez's future was the subject of intense speculation ahead of Wednesday's Champions League clash at Real Madrid, with some bookmakers having stopped taking bets on the Spaniard being in charge by the end of the week.

Liverpool's players shrugged off the rumours to earn a famous 1-0 victory at the Bernabeu to take a stranglehold in their first knockout round first-leg tie.

Afterwards, Benitez reiterated his desire to stay and dismissed the suggestion of an imminent resignation by revealing further negotiations over his proposed four-year contract are expected in the coming days.

And Mascherano believes the Liverpool squad are firmly behind their manager, who signed 15 of the 18 players who were on show at the Bernabeu.

"Rafa is doing a great job," said the Argentina midfielder.

"We are a top side and he has got us playing at this level. We have shown it against Barcelona, Inter last season and now Real Madrid.

"We know we are a team that works really hard and the manager has to take credit for that.

"Every single player gives 100% for him every time they go out on the pitch.

"It is hard to explain exactly how much he means and how much he has done for me.

"When I came to Liverpool I did not have any confidence left at all because I hadn't been playing at all for West Ham.

"But now I find that I am always calm when I am playing because he has put such trust in me.

"All I can say to Rafa is thank you.

"He has taken me from the lowest point in my career to this.

"Now, everything I do is not only for the team but for Rafa too.

"Obviously I am delighted he has said he is staying. I haven't spoken to him about his situation but Liverpool are doing a great job in the Champions League and Premier League and he is the main reason for that."

Albert Riera, another player Benitez brought to Anfield, echoed the sentiments of Mascherano and believes the whole of the Liverpool squad feels the same.

"Of course I am happy to hear he will stay," said Riera.

"He was very important in helping bring me to Liverpool and it is the same for a lot of players at this club.

"I am sure if you asked all the players if they wanted Rafa to stay with us, 100% would say yes."

Benitez is confident the obstacles that have prevented a deal being brokered with Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett can be overcome.

However, the longer the impasse continues, the more likely it is the American owners will start to investigate an insurance policy in the event of Benitez failing to agree terms, with Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho likely to be one manager sounded out.

Liverpool's victory over Real was all the more impressive given it was achieved largely without talismanic duo Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard.

Torres suffered a twisted ankle in the opening minute of the match and was clearly hampered by the injury before finally forced to concede defeat by hobbling off shortly after the hour mark.

The striker is now almost certain to miss tomorrow's Premier League trip to Middlesbrough, with a bulletin expected on his fitness later today.

Gerrard failed to fully recover from the hamstring tear that sidelined him for three weeks, appearing only as a substitute for the final two minutes.

And Benitez revealed Liverpool's players were always aware the skipper would not start in the Bernabeu.

"The team was always thinking about playing the game without Steven Gerrard because they could see he was not fully fit," said the Liverpool manager.

"We delayed the decision until the very last, and in the end we decided it was not right for him to start.

"But the team already knew that from what they had seen."

CAPTION(S):

Javier Mascherano