"What can I say about Rafa Benitez to sum up the many strengths he has both as a person and as a professional? Great coach, hard working, consistent, perfectionist, and ambitious; words that describe a great bloke who has achieved and will always achieve the goals that he has had since his youth. His great dedication and professionalism in the world of football have, without a doubt, put him up there with the best coaches in the world. What matters to me in particular is that I have fond and indelible memories of his time, our time, at a small but humble club with modest resources, and where we gained an incredible promotion to the highest level of Spanish football, ‘the League of Stars’. A success achieved in large part, I know, by his dedicated analysis of the characteristics of opponents, his approach, his ways of reading the game and by knowing how to set the right tone for the group with his great desire and great capacity for work. In short, everything led to one objective, improving the individual and team performance. I have to say that it was a pleasure working with him for those years at both the professional and personal levels. So I am delighted to have this chance to offer my sincere thanks for his important contribution to my professional career, how could it be otherwise, and to wish him all the success in the future".