Benitez relieved to qualify

Liverpool 2-1 AK Graz (agg)

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez admitted his relief in reaching the Champions League group stage after losing at home to Graz AK.

"The most important thing is we are qualified," said the Spaniard after watching his team scrape through.

"I didn't like the game," he added. "We had problems, we were nervous and lost a lot of second balls.

"In games like this you have to fight to the end and remember the score from the first game is not important."

During the game referee Luis Medina Cantalejo booked Graz captain Rene Aufhauser twice, but the Spanish official failed to show a red card.

But Benitez refused to criticise the referee for his error.

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"I have seen the video and he made a mistake. But it's only a mistake and it's not important."

Afterwards a Uefa spokesman confirmed the match referee's observer would discuss the incidents with the referee and the fourth official.

The spokesman said: "A report will be sent to Uefa for them to consider the incidents."