Former manager of Liverpool, Chelsea, and Real Madrid, Rafa Benitez, has clarified that his departure from the Santiago Bernabéu was not due to any influence from Cristiano Ronaldo.
In an interview with MBC Masr 2, the manager who led Los Blancos during the 2015/16 season addressed ongoing rumors suggesting a fallout with the Portuguese superstar.
“It’s not true that I left Real Madrid because of Cristiano Ronaldo,” Benitez asserted. “There was never any problem between us. He’s a great player and a phenomenon.”
The Spanish coach explained that his exit was primarily the result of internal issues within the club, which had no connection to Ronaldo’s performance or behavior.
Benitez also took the opportunity to discuss Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, commending the Egyptian forward’s consistent impact on the pitch.
“He makes the difference in every game,” Benitez noted. “When a player takes care of himself and continues to perform at this level, age doesn’t matter. Of course, Salah deserves to win the Ballon d’Or. Why not?”
