Rafa Benitez picks out one favourite player from Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle spells
Rafa Benitez has identified who his favourite player to manager in England was (Image: GETTY)
After spending a decade managing in the Premier League Rafa Benitez has now revealed who his favourite player to manage was during his time in England.
The 59-year-old has been in charge of Liverpool, Chelsea and Newcastle but the Spaniard admitted it was a star from Anfield who had impressed him the most.
During a question and answer session for The Athletic, Benitez was asked who had been his favourite player to manage.
“In England it has to be Steven Gerrard,” Benitez said.
In England it has to be Steven Gerrard
“Because he had all the potential and did well for us.”
Benitez had a successful time in charge of Liverpool and won several trophies including the club’s famous comeback win in the Champions League final in the 2004/05 season.
The Reds found themselves three goals down to AC Milan at half-time, but the team rallied in the second half and goals from Gerrard, Vladimir Smicer and Xabi Alonso sent the game to extra-time and then penalties.
Liverpool went on to win 3-2 in the shootout and in the process added another European cup to the club’s cabinet.
Rafa Benitez and Steven Gerrard with the Champions League trophy (Image: GETTY)
Benitez was also asked what his proudest achievement as a manager has been so far in his career and the Spaniard insisted it was difficult to just pick one.
“It would be easy to say the Champions League in 2005. But I am really pleased with almost everything,” he said.
“I’ve had promotions with Tenerife, Extremadura and Newcastle, the titles with Valencia, but then at Inter Milan we won trophies in difficult circumstances, and at Naples with a very strong Juventus to compete with.
“It is difficult to say because I am proud of so many.”
After leaving Liverpool in the summer of 2010 Benitez went on to join Inter-Milan on a two year deal.
The Spaniard replaced Jose Mourinho at the San Siro, but his spell with the Nerazzurri was short lived and after a series of poor results he was sacked in December after lasting just over six months in the role.
Benitez then had spells at Chelsea, Napoli, Real Madrid and Newcastle before taking up his current role at Chinese club Dalian Yifang.
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