LIVERPOOL will head to Spain for a five-day training camp in preparation for the Champions League final. Rafa Benitez has shown he’s not been put off by the controversy which followed the last ‘bonding session’ in Portugal earlier this season. That caused a furore when Craig Bellamy and John Arne Riise clashed, but ultimately ended in triumph as it prepared the players for victory over Barcelona. Benitez said at the time the week away did far more good than harm, which is why he’s given the go-ahead for another trip before the players head for Athens. He’s especially concerned the players should acclimatise to potentially soaring temperatures in Greece on the evening of May 23. “We still have to finalise the details, but it’s likely we’ll go away for five days to prepare after we play Charlton,” said Benitez today. “When we did this before the Barcelona game it had a positive impact, although I know people talked about other things in the end. The most positive thing is we can work together in a climate and in conditions which will be more like those we’ll play in in the final.” Benitez has brushed off the golfing incident which made the headlines prior to the trip to the Nou Camp. He shrugged off any references to those events, saying: “I know people will mention that again, but it’s not an issue. We are thinking only about doing the right things to prepare the players for the final.” Meanwhile, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher are edging ever closer to new long-term Liverpool contracts. Negotiations continued yesterday and there is a genuine likelihood the pair may sign up over the next 72 hours. There is caution about making such a prediction until the final details of the contract are agreed, but it appears only formalities now stand in the way of the scouse duo putting pen to paper. “I hope it may be done this week, but we are talking and we’re sure it will be done soon,” confirmed Benitez. Liverpool have fitness concerns over Pepe Reina and Momo Sissoko ahead of the visit of Charlton this weekend. Reina hasn’t trained because he’s nursing a shoulder injury, while Sissoko is definitely out with a knee problem. The African should be fit for the Champions League final. Xabi Alonso’s attacker Michael Brown of Fulham has been charged by the FA for the headbutt which went unnoticed in the 1-0 defeat on Saturday. “It’s clear in this case people had to look at the video,” said Benitez. “It means players may think twice before they do such things again.” | 
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