"Footballers are a privileged and normally egotistical group. That’s why to hear them talk about Rafa Benítez with the enormous gratitude that they do, because he has taught them, has made them winners, is an indication of the class of coach we are talking about.

I have found few coaches who command unanimity like Rafa amongst those who have worked under him. Coaches are also not a group normally known for heaping praise. However, amongst his peers, I have heard him spoken about with reverence, as if they were talking about a guru, raising him to a level of maestro of maestros and setting an example for different generations. It is amongst colleagues on the bench where it is most difficult to find praise yet nevertheless with Rafa Benítez it is the opposite. Therefore, you only need to listen to players and coaches, the football professionals, to have a complete picture of what class of coach Rafa is. It is these people, who know most, those who are the best judges to make comparisons, those who can describe him best, who run out of adjectives so little more can be added. As a native of Valencia, I am also a believer that Rafa was the last to give hope to a region that loves football, which is more demanding than others, yet was still exhausted by his work ethic. If sport serves to make people happy, Benítez carries in his suitcase forever millions of smiles of fans who only he knew how to take to the highest level and for that they love him. But over and above his capabilities, reflected in an enviable record, which is missing nothing and which has been gained in 3 different countries, I come back to the human factor, of the person hidden behind the personality. Because if it is difficult to achieve all this, it is more so to do it without losing humility, without allowing your feet to leave the ground. It is this, his human side, that sticks out more with Rafa because I have witnessed this at first hand. His sporting achievements, his records and titles can always be bettered, but his personal values won’t even be equalled".