Real Madrid manager Rafael Benitez has criticised his former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard for publishing claims from his new book that the Spaniard never liked him when they worked together at Anfield.
In a serialisation of Gerrard's new book, My Story, in the Daily Mail, the 35-year-old claimed he didn't think Benitez "liked me as a person" and said there was "no bond" between the pair during the manager's tenure on Merseyside from 2004 to 2010—during which time they won the 2005 Champions League.
Benitez has hit back at Gerrard's comments on Spanish television, accusing the Englishman of simply trying to shift more copies of his book, per MailOnline's Pete Jenson: "I have read the quotes and I believe he is wrong. Out of the respect that I have for Stevie and for the value and appreciation I have for him, and for Liverpool and the supporters, I think it's best to just let it pass. He has brought out a book and now I'm the Real Madrid manager, that sells."
Benitez has come under fire more than once in the extracts published thus far from Gerrard's book, with the former England captain also branding him "stupid" to sell Xabi Alonso to Los Blancos in 2009.
His infamous "facts" rant against Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson has also been labelled by Gerrard as "humiliating," via the Daily Mail.
As football writer Tony Evans noted, there is no reason that Benitez and Gerrard should have been the best of friends while they worked together at Liverpool:
However, it is something of a surprise that Gerrard has come out strongly against Benitez considering he arguably enjoyed his greatest successes under his management.
Along with the Champions League triumph, Gerrard also famously won the FA Cup in 2006 under Benitez—putting in a bravura performance in the final against West Ham United—and claimed three top-three finishes in the Premier League.
However, it is clear that the pair never enjoyed anything more than a professional relationship.
Benitez took over at Real in June and has enjoyed a decent start with Los Blancos, although there have been reports of him struggling to win over star man Cristiano Ronaldo, per Jenson again for MailOnline.
The Portuguese netted five goals against Espanyol on Saturday, though, perhaps proof that Benitez does not need to be best friends with his players in order to get the best out of them.
via http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2566871-rafa-benitez-hits-back-at-steven-gerrard-over-former-liverpool-stars-new-book
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