Why Cristiano Ronaldo’s former teammate believes Rafa Benitez deserves respect?
Cristiano Ronaldo‘s former teammate Gary Neville says Rafael Benitez deserve respect of Valencia fans, after managing the clubs for three years.
Rafael Benitez, who failed to win the hearts of Real Madrid faithful and being a subject of jeering and boos, however he will be given a hero welcome when his side will visit to Mestalla on Sunday.
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The former Liverpool boss guide Valencia to two league titles and UEFA Cup between 2001 and 2004
I think Rafa deserves the gratitude he’ll get for what he’s done for this club. It’s always right for a previous player or manager to get that respect,” said the former Manchester United captain.
“[The pressure] is none of my business. When you manage a top club it’s part and parcel of what you have to deal with. He knows the game inside out, he’s experienced.
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“It’s right the fans show gratitude to the work he did here but you forget about that when the match starts.”
“I’m aware of the rivalry. This is football, it’s the most important aspect,” he said. “These rivalries make you fall in love with the game. The fans want passion, spirit, fight, they want to see the opposition destroyed.
“But on the football side of things you think about it without emotion. We have to concentrate, be professional, do our job.
“The players have to let the fans get involved with the emotion.”
“I played with him at United. I have great memories of him. But now it’s different, I’m the coach of the opposition and I have to see how we stop him,” he added.
“I’ve talked a lot about him in the last four or five years. We have to minimise the virtues of Madrid and maximise our own.”