Haka fire up Houllier

Gerard Houllier summed up Liverpool's fierce determination not to blow their Champions' League chance by claiming his treble winners were "desperate" to reach the group stages.

Liverpool face the Finnish champions Haka in Helsinki's Olympic stadium tonight with a possible £15m-plus pay-out hanging on the outcome of their third qualifying round tie. It is a game the Anfield side dare not lose, and Houllier said: "I can tell you, the boys are desperate to get into the Champions' League."

It is not only personal pride and achievement that is spurring them on. If the men from Merseyside qualify for the group stages, there are riches waiting that they have missed out on for 16 years.

Last season Leeds, who had finished third in the Premiership, made their Champions' League debut, reaching the semi-finals and earning £15m from prize money and television revenue. If Liverpool can get to the group stages alone, they can expect to net up to £8m.

Houllier cannot wait for his chance to lead the FA, Worthington and Uefa Cup holders into battle against Europe's élite. He said: "The main difference between the Uefa Cup and the Champions' League is that you can lose a game and still qualify. Ask Leeds: you can lose a game, have a bad start but still pick up on the way. It's a different atmosphere."

Liverpool will be without Jamie Redknapp, who has picked up a slight groin strain, Vladimir Smicer (hamstring) and Sander Westerveld (thigh) for the trip to face a side they should easily overcome. Maccabi Haifa's appeal to Uefa over their expulsion from the tournament for fielding a suspended player in the previous round was rejected on Monday, giving Haka a reprieve.

Haifa had won 5-0 on aggregate against Haka, and the Finns accept they have been handed a glamorous tie in fortuitous circumstances – but they do not expect to cope with Liverpool's big names.

Houllier said: "We have had them watched a couple of times, they are athletic, physical and play a direct game.

"You mustn't forget that three seasons ago a Finnish side [HJK Helsinki] put out Metz at this stage and reached the group stages. My players are hungry for this, they want so much to reach the group stages, somewhere they've not played before as a side.

"We know that Haka will be on top of their game, they'll be fit because their league is half way through, and they'll do anything to get through into the next stage."