Former Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid manager Rafa Benitez clarified that his departure from Santiago Bernabéu was not affected by Cristiano Ronaldo.
Benitez, who managed Los Blancos in the 2015/16 season, made a statement in an interview with MBC MASR 2, addressing long-term rumors about the impact of the Portuguese superstar.
“I left Real Madrid because of Cristiano Ronaldo, which was wrong,” Benitez said. “There was never any problem between us. He was a great player and a phenomenon.”
The Spanish tactician explained that his exports originated from the club’s internal problems, and the club had nothing to do with Ronaldo.
Benitez also shared his thoughts on Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, praising the Egyptian striker’s consistent influence.
“He has changed in every game,” Benitez said. “Age doesn’t matter when players take care of themselves and continue to perform at this level. Of course, Salah deserves to win the Ballon d’Or. Why not?”
