Rafael Benitez had overlooked Manchester United’s Great Cristiano Ronaldo and Liverpool star Mohamed Sarah.
Rafa Benitez boldly branded Mohamed Salah as a more complete player than Cristiano Ronaldo, but chose another player as the best player he’d worked with.
The former Liverpool manager remains a legendary figure in Merseyside after leading the Reds to Champions League glory in 2005. He was unable to deliver the Premier League crown – the achievements Jurgenklop secured in 2020 have resulted in the restoration of Liverpool’s European reputation securing the iconic position of Red Supporters.
The 65-year-old has been responsible for clubs that include Inter Milan, Chelsea and Real Madrid during his long coaching career. Pressing whether he could choose Sara, a player who wasn’t working directly, Ronaldo, Benitez was clear.
read more: Alexander Isaac learns that Mo Sarah and Hugo Ekichique have thought of their arrival in Liverpoolread more: Cristiano Ronaldo is equivalent to another notable scorer, as Lionel Messi left behind.
He told Shoot for Love: “Ronaldo is probably the best finisher, but Sarah is more complete.”
Benitez, who works with Ronaldo, proved to be short. The Spaniard lasted just seven months at Real before being fired in January 2016. After his departure, it was speculated that a possible rift with the Manchester United legend played a role in his firing.
However, he dismissed those claims and said, “It is not true that he left Real Madrid for Cristiano Ronaldo. There was no problem between us. He is a great player. He is an exceptional player.
As for the best player he’s ever coached, Benitez chose another Liverpool icon, Stephen Gerrard. When it appeared in Overlap, it was something of a podcast. Instead of other well-known stars like Luka Modrick, Eden Hazard and Frank Lampard, the former England captain came to mind.
“From a full player perspective, Stevie has the strength, he scored goals, good in the air, shot from both feet. He can shoot from afar, short, penalty, deliveries, round the corner.
“The point with him is that he was a box-to-box midfielder from the start and he understood the game little by little. He had all the possibilities and later got better in terms of position and decisions. But he was great from the start.”
Since his brief spell in charge of Everton ended in 2022, Benitez returned to Spain to manage Celta Vigo.
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