Liverpool will resist Maccabi Haifa's attempts to stage the second leg of their Champions League qualifying tie in Tel Aviv, with the Israeli club aware that they must convince Uefa that the safety of players and supporters can be guaranteed if the tie is not to be switched to a neutral venue, most likely in Holland or Slovenia.

"There is no way we should be going to Israel to play a game of football at this time. It's crazy to even consider it. Uefa cannot put anyone at risk," Liverpool's manager Rafael Benitez, below, said.

"The situation is very clear in my mind. I feel sad for the people over there because it's a terrible time for them but we have to put the security and safety of everyone involved before anything else and that means we cannot travel there. It would be impossible to concentrate on the game.

"Uefa needs to make a decision quickly because there will be lots of our supporters wanting to know what is happening."

Liverpool are set to make an official representation to Uefa and ask for the game to be moved to a neutral country.

Maccabi's president, Jacob Shachar, had already conceded the tie could not be staged in Haifa, the port having been hit regularly by rockets fired by Hizbullah in Lebanon. But he suggested the match, due to take place on August 22nd or 23rd, could be staged at the Ramat Gan stadium in Tel Aviv.

"Our European games are usually played in Tel Aviv, so let's hope that things remain quiet there," he said, "though we understand Liverpool's concerns."

Those concerns are clear, with Tel Aviv only 90 miles south of the Lebanese border and placed on rocket alert two weeks ago.

Uefa will discuss a venue with both clubs and are likely to make a decision on Wednesday.

"We are very concerned," Liverpool's chief executive, Rick Parry, added. "We will be making our feelings known to Uefa and it is hard to see the conflict being resolved over the next couple of weeks. You worry at any time but the situation is clearly, from our perspective at least, particularly delicate. The second leg should be played at a neutral venue.

"There was a suggestion from Uefa that, if it was to be moved, it would be to either Holland or Slovenia. Obviously Maccabi want to play in Israel. That's understandable, but we have to be conscious of any risk to players and supporters. We want a decision as soon as possible. We don't want uncertainty."

Liverpool will play the first leg at Anfield, allowing them more time to reach a compromise over the second leg, though Uefa are treating the option to switch as very much a back-up plan.

"We've asked the Israeli FA to give us assurances concerning safety," said a Uefa spokesman, Rob Faulkner. "We have serious concerns and we wouldn't go ahead if we didn't have those assurances. We have played with problems there before and also played games away from Israel. That is plan B, a back-up plan."

Yesterday's draw in Nyon prompted huge excitement at the Israeli club, who were denied a similar tie with Liverpool in 2001 after their former Wimbledon midfielder Walid Badir was found to have been ineligible after featuring in a qualifying game against the Finns FC Haka.

Meanwhile, Arsenal look certain to begin their attempts to go one better than last season's runner-up place by facing Dinamo Zagreb, who hold a 4-1 lead over Ekranas of Lithuania heading into the second leg of their second round in Croatia.

Hearts will meet AEK Athens in the third round should they progress, as expected, past Bosnia's champions, Siroki Brijeg - Hearts lead 3-0 from the first leg.

Glenn Roeder has promised Newcastle will do their "homework" on Latvian table-toppers FK Ventspils after drawing them in the second qualifying round of the Uefa Cup. Newcastle boss Roeder is looking forward to making his first trip to Latvia but insists thorough preparation is needed before the first leg.

"It's a trip into the unknown for us, but one thing for certain is that we will prepare thoroughly for these two matches. We will have Ventspils watched between now and playing them so nothing will be left to chance with our preparations. We obviously need to do our homework."

Guardian Service