Benitez talks, blasts Serie A and more

RAFAEL BENITEZ, let's start with the question everyone is thinking about before the opening of the Champions League: how to beat Barcelona ? If you had a team today, how would you go about it?

RB: It depends which team precisely. All I can say is: "That's how I would do." But I do not have a team right now, I can't present you a solution, but I can assure you that I will determine the tactics according to my players. If you have the staff of the Real, Liverpool or Inter, you cant approach the game the same way. You can't decide to press high if you do not the players for that. Everyone must find his way. What is certain however, is that everyone should play the perfect game.

But if you look back at the games that really challenged Barcelona in the past couple of years, what would contrary them the most?

RB: Manchester United pressed Barcelona high in the final over the first ten minutes and Barcelona was not comfortable with the ball, but Barça won. Real Madrid decided to press too (the 5-0) but we all saw that it created a lot of spaces for them to exploit. The manager must look at his players, properly assess what each can do. There is no other way to proceed. If it works, it will be with the skills of the players.

What is their real achievement according to you? Their current level? Or the fact that they are still finding ways to improce?

RB: The answer is that the true achievement of Barcelona is the way they work. When I was in charge of youth teams in Madrid, all the youth teams of Barcelona were playing the same way, 3-4-3, with the passing game that we all know. Absolutely all with the same system and the same philosophy. Imagine what level of chemistry they can achieve, fourteen, fifteen years to practice this same game .. The team has great players and a game system that suits them perfectly. The coach comes from the youth teams and knows all that mentality. They are in a situation where everything works, everyone pulls in the same direction, similar to Borussia Dortmund at the moment actually.

You published a fairly extensive study last week on the comparison between the Premier league and la Liga. What can you tell us about the current level of Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1?

RB: I best know the Serie A. My view is that La Liga is very close to the Premier League but now, Serie A is really far behind. The key, the physical factor: the contacts, the tackles, the duels. The intensity is the highest in England . You can have great ball players but they will be forced to approach the game differently if they go to England. That's what sets the EPL over the others.

Is the Bundesliga being underestimated?

RB: Not by me anyway. For me it is clearly above the Serie A. (He mimes with gestures). 1. Premier League and Liga. Below, the Bundesliga and still below the Serie A. Just look at the intensity of matches in Germany . I will analyze all this in more detail, but there is a real football atmosphere in Germany, the constant desire to score goals and a severe competition between clubs.

Do you think it's still possible for a Portuguese club like Porto or a French club like Paris-SG (long term objective for the club) to win the Champions League. DO their Leagues prepare them enough?

RB: Yes, if they have time to build. They must allow time to make mistakes. In general, when you have time to put things in place, you get something substantial. Porto has experience in the Champions League, but they need to keep their players longer. We can only grow when building around your best players. Lyon and Marseille also have the necessary experience, but same thing, they must keep their best players. You never know with the Champions League. Of course the level of the league is a factor to consider, but in France , you now have teams like Lyon, Marseille, Paris and Lille that drive up the level.

Winning the Champions League without being a favorite, that's what you did in 2005 with Liverpool. Can you give us two or three elements of what made it possible?

RB: Everyone was completely involved, that was the key. The fans were incredible, there was an understanding between the players and the staff. Each match was prepared and studied with great care. Everyone talks about the final but we managed several very successful games, against Chelsea , Juventus, Olympiakos, Leverkusen ... Tactically, most importantly, we were very good, often by changing the system. We used the 3-3-3-1, the 4-2-3-1, which we changed at half-time of the final to a 3-4-1-2. The understanding was exceptional. We really felt we could win the trophy after we took out Juventus in the quarterfinals. They were an european great, who beat Real on their way.

Your teams have always been turned around the collective. How do you look at the debate Messi-Ronaldo?

RB: Both are fantastic, but the system needs to be built according to their qualities to make them perform to their potential. If Messi has so much freedom, It's because everybody knows he can make the difference. But what does that mean, having freedom? We must not confuse freedom of a player, and the fact that he can do whatever he wants on a football pitch. It's a confusion many people make. Only deserving players must experience such freedom, according to their quality and potential. And of course, a manager must also make sure that the team has solutions when they arent available.

RAFAEL BENITEZ, let's start with the question everyone is thinking about before the opening of the Champions League: how to beat Barcelona ? If you had a team today, how would you go about it?

RB: It depends which team precisely. All I can say is: "That's how I would do." But I do not have a team right now, I can't present you a solution, but I can assure you that I will determine the tactics according to my players. If you have the staff of the Real, Liverpool or Inter, you cant approach the game the same way. You can't decide to press high if you do not the players for that. Everyone must find his way. What is certain however, is that everyone should play the perfect game.

Lord Spencer wrote:This guy makes general assumptions that you can't argue given their generality. If Serie A is so far behind the EPL then why did he go there, and why didn't he win the league.

Riding on a 2005 CL win that is due to 6 minutes of madness and a Dudek that played the game of his life.

St_Nick09_of_Goal wrote:Benitez is a new Eurosport pundit, and talked a little about footy.

What is their real achievement according to you? Their current level? Or the fact that they are still finding ways to improce?

RB: The answer is that the true achievement of Barcelona is the way they work. When I was in charge of youth teams in Madrid, all the youth teams of Barcelona were playing the same way, 3-4-3, with the passing game that we all know. Absolutely all with the same system and the same philosophy. Imagine what level of chemistry they can achieve, fourteen, fifteen years to practice this same game .. The team has great players and a game system that suits them perfectly. The coach comes from the youth teams and knows all that mentality. They are in a situation where everything works, everyone pulls in the same direction, similar to Borussia Dortmund at the moment actually.


Do you think it's still possible for a Portuguese club like Porto or a French club like Paris-SG (long term objective for the club) to win the Champions League. DO their Leagues prepare them enough?

RB: Yes, if they have time to build. They must allow time to make mistakes. In general, when you have time to put things in place, you get something substantial. Porto has experience in the Champions League, but they need to keep their players longer. We can only grow when building around your best players. Lyon and Marseille also have the necessary experience, but same thing, they must keep their best players. You never know with the Champions League. Of course the level of the league is a factor to consider, but in France , you now have teams like Lyon, Marseille, Paris and Lille that drive up the level.

http://fr.sports.yahoo.com/12092011/70/ligue-des-champions-benitez-le-niveau-grimpe-en-france.html

St_Nick09_of_Goal wrote:Are Zanetti, Maicon, Lucio really that slow that they dragged down Samuel?

Lord Spencer wrote:This guy makes general assumptions that you can't argue given their generality. If Serie A is so far behind the EPL then why did he go there, and why didn't he win the league.

Riding on a 2005 CL win that is due to 6 minutes of madness and a Dudek that played the game of his life.

Sepi wrote:

Lord Spencer wrote:This guy makes general assumptions that you can't argue given their generality. If Serie A is so far behind the EPL then why did he go there, and why didn't he win the league.

Riding on a 2005 CL win that is due to 6 minutes of madness and a Dudek that played the game of his life.

*bleep* Bollocks. Just feck off with discrediting that amazing achievement.

We beat a very strong Leverkusen team...Juve under Capello, Chelsea under Mou, and AC Milan with load of star players under Carlo...and the only thing people remember is 6 minutes of madness.

In this world when coaches need perfect players...we won a CL with Djimi Traore at left back, went back to a final 2 years after, would have been 3 final in 4 years, had it not been for freakiest own goal of all time

Won at Bernabeu, Camp Nou, Meazza, etc.....yet all people remember is those 6 minutes.

Lord Spencer wrote:This guy makes general assumptions that you can't argue given their generality. If Serie A is so far behind the EPL then why did he go there, and why didn't he win the league.

Riding on a 2005 CL win that is due to 6 minutes of madness and a Dudek that played the game of his life.

RedOranje wrote:
Both point to one factor he seems to hold above all: Consistency in management (both over time, and from top to bottom). That also seems to be a factor greatly disregarded by a number of clubs throughout Europe who prefer to change managers, and styles, every couple of seasons. Do people agree that this is indeed the main factor in Barcelona's recent dominance and Manchester United's dominance, or has the increase in wealth throughout the footballing world made such "old school" ideas outdated? Remember, despite the relative lack of trophies Arsenal have consistently been in Europe and near the top of the PL, largely due to the fact that Wenger has set up his scouting network and youth/reserves sides to consistently bring in and produce top talent players. How many years is enough time for a manager to be properly judged at a new club?

Lord Spencer wrote:

Sepi wrote:

Lord Spencer wrote:This guy makes general assumptions that you can't argue given their generality. If Serie A is so far behind the EPL then why did he go there, and why didn't he win the league.

Riding on a 2005 CL win that is due to 6 minutes of madness and a Dudek that played the game of his life.

*bleep* Bollocks. Just feck off with discrediting that amazing achievement.

We beat a very strong Leverkusen team...Juve under Capello, Chelsea under Mou, and AC Milan with load of star players under Carlo...and the only thing people remember is 6 minutes of madness.

In this world when coaches need perfect players...we won a CL with Djimi Traore at left back, went back to a final 2 years after, would have been 3 final in 4 years, had it not been for freakiest own goal of all time

Won at Bernabeu, Camp Nou, Meazza, etc.....yet all people remember is those 6 minutes.

Because if it was not for those minutes and Dudek you would not have won that CL. Seriously, the end products is what gives value to the equation. And I did not undermine the achievement of Liverpool, but the involvement of him on that Achievement. It was his first season, and it was the players that carried the games.

It was a semi-mythical tale. Which is why I believe Benitez was as much a spectator as the fans.

St_Nick09_of_Goal wrote:
I think the message is pretty obvious. there is a real school of thinking between both projects, one due to a manager (SAF) who stayed at the club for so long, and the other due to a philosophy that drove a club. It's in truth the best possible way to bring up youth player, have them study the system, produce the right skills for your school of thinking etc...

The cleverleys and co, not necessarily great players, but they are a natural fit, and they benefit from top shelf coaching, it makes the difference in the early years and will shape them tomorrow. Same with Barca, consistency is a key factor. Reworking the structure bottom to top, and making sure that you have something uniform. Utd is a very unique example due to them keeping SAF, wouldnt have been the same otherwise.

Arsenal is a good example, and given time they will dominate England again, but they are a good example to highlights outside factors as well. I'm not sure Wenger carried his recruiting the best possible way to provide solid structure within the first team itself, but that's another argument. It's not perfect, it's not enough to say that you will have a top academy and all will be well.

There is almost a video game mentality out there with regards to how managers are treated, they must perform now or it's bust. Just looking at Real for ex, the kind of feeling we got from just this beginning of season, i dont know a fan who wouldnt keep mou for another 2-3 years, give him the time to work. It's all i can wish for my club, a long term steady manager that does the work from top to bottom, although, Mourinho is trying that with Real, asking the youth teams to play like he does etc...

Another good example would be Rudi Garcia, Lille current manager. Has been at the club since 08, and steadily turned them into the most enjoyable football team in France, but also made them Champions, won a double last season.

BeautifulGame wrote:
If Benitez hadnt changed the system and introduced smicer and plugged the hole in midfield we would never have won.

Ofcourse its a mythical tale suddenly Kaka who was so effective in first half suddenly became invisible in second.Nothing to do with tactical changes of Benitez.

Sepi wrote:

Lord Spencer wrote:This guy makes general assumptions that you can't argue given their generality. If Serie A is so far behind the EPL then why did he go there, and why didn't he win the league.

Riding on a 2005 CL win that is due to 6 minutes of madness and a Dudek that played the game of his life.

*bleep* Bollocks. Just feck off with discrediting that amazing achievement.

We beat a very strong Leverkusen team...Juve under Capello, Chelsea under Mou, and AC Milan with load of star players under Carlo...and the only thing people remember is 6 minutes of madness.

fatman123 wrote:
that ball never crossed the line!!!