TOKYO, Dec 16 - Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez
will remain in Japan for Sunday's Club World Championship final
despite the death of his father, the club said on Friday.
Benitez's father Francisco died in Madrid earlier this week
after a long illness.
"Rafa will be staying in Japan and go back home on Monday
with the rest of the party," Liverpool's media officer Ian
Cotton told Reuters.
"There will be no change at all (to Liverpool's preparations
for the final)."
The European champions take on Brazil's Sao Paulo in
Sunday's final in Yokohama.
Benitez told Liverpool's website he had been unable to fly
back for his father's funeral in time.
"We tried to go there but in Spain you do not have the
time," he said. "They couldn't delay the funeral. I couldn't go
so I decided to stay here."
The Spaniard added: "I will go and see my mother next week
so for me it is perhaps better to concentrate on working.
"You can be very upset but if you are working sometimes you
can just think about your work. The only thing I can do now is
try to do my best for my team and think about my father."
FIFA president Sepp Blatter offered his condolences to
Benitez and said there would be a special tribute made before
the final.
The Reds beat Costa Rica's Deportivo Saprissa in Friday's
semi-final.