A Quote by Rafael Benitez
I knew off by heart the names of the Real Madrid team that played Liverpool in the European Cup final of 1981.
Related Quotes
When I was younger, I had some close friends who always loved European football, and Real Madrid at that time were the dominant force. I remember family holidays when we used to go to Spain, and we'd bring back replica shirts of Real Madrid and pretend to be the players when we played in the park.
When I was a Real Sociedad player, we lost on every occasion we visited Camp Nou. Maybe that is normal for a small team, but with Liverpool and Real Madrid, you expect more.
Before Bolton I played for Real Madrid and I was getting involved in the first-team training since I was 16 and then I played with the first team at 18.
I said to myself & to my coleagues at Melwood that I'd probably never play for a better club with a better players than Liverpool ever again, Then I went to Real Madrid & in 2009 we met Liverpool in the CL first knock-out round. Liverpool beat us 5-0 on aggregate. I wasn't happy because my team had lost but I was happy with my promise. I did NOT play for a better club with a better players than LIVERPOOL
Liverpool are one of the dynasties of the game. They have won five European Cups and their status is up there with AC Milan, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
I can tell some names that played with me at Real Madrid and there's so many legends, everything is there. You know Roberto Carlos, Fernando Hierro, Raul, Zizou, Figo, Makelele, Ronaldo - the big one! - and Cristiano Ronaldo afterwards...pick any of those guys and you'd have an incredible team.
I got racist abuse at Liverpool when I played for Watford. Then I played for Liverpool and didn't get it. If I had played for Everton against Liverpool then maybe the Liverpool fans would have racially abused me.
I didn't sleep with the European Cup but it was in my room! It was just special and I just had to have the cup with me, lifting the cup as Liverpool captain was just the best moment of my life.
I don't think people can imagine a Liverpool team without Gerrard. It is like Raul at Real Madrid and Puyol at Barcelona. They are a rare breed, these types of players.
I've been to Wembley before to watch Liverpool and Everton in the FA Cup semi-final in 2012. I saw the atmosphere there, and I didn't ever think women's football would be played in front of those crowds in my time.
Every team dreams of playing the Champions League final - Porto just as much as Real Madrid.
I always wanted to play for AC Milan or Real Madrid. Real Madrid, of course, because when I was young, the players that played there were the top players. I was looking at Real Madrid as the best of the best. And AC Milan, they also had good players when I was young, so I looked at AC Milan the same way as Real Madrid.
For a kid that just played for Oviedo, to then going to play for a team like Real Madrid, it felt fantastic. But being taken out of my family home and moving away alone, into the residence Madrid have for young players, it was a bit difficult. But as time passed, I got used to it.
When I was at Porto my team also played in the UEFA Cup final against a Scottish side - but it was Celtic. I've never seen such emotional people. It was unbelievable!
When we played Real Madrid and won 5-3 it was soaking wet and the ball ended up weighing a kilo. It didn't have a brand. Consider the boots; there was no personalised footwear. Back then we made money, but we played for the love, it was all heart.
When I'm retired, I want to be able to tell my kids I played in a European Cup final. I don't want to have to say I watched one from the substitutes' bench, then kept getting knocked out in the quarters and semis.
Related Authors
Alex Ferguson Quotes
Scottish
Coach
Arsene Wenger Quotes
French
Coach
Bear Bryant Quotes
American
Coach
Bobby Knight Quotes
American
Coach
Buck Brannaman Quotes
American
Coach
Harry Redknapp Quotes
English
Coach
John Calipari Quotes
American
Coach
John Wooden Quotes
American
Coach
Jose Mourinho Quotes
Portuguese
Coach
Lou Holtz Quotes
American
Coach
Mike Krzyzewski Quotes
American
Coach
Nick Saban Quotes
American
Coach
Pat Summitt Quotes
American
Coach
Pep Guardiola Quotes
Spanish
Coach
Tony Dungy Quotes
American
Coach
Vince Lombardi Quotes
American
Coach