Rafa Benitez has won trophies almost everywhere he has been. Can he finally put an end to Newcastle’s silverware thirst?
Wherever Rafa Benitez goes he wins silverware, as evidenced by his proud record of having won ten pieces since 2004. With Newcastle’s thirst for trophies having reached breaking point in recent years, with Mike Ashley promising to remain in charge until the club lift a cup, Benitez might just be the man required to do so.
For supporters starved of success for so long, it has been frustrating for them to overlook the contempt the hierarchy has shown for potential cup runs in the recent past. Newcastle have not progressed past the fourth round of the FA Cup under Ashley, while the likes of Barnsley, Wigan Athletic and Millwall have.
Their record in the League Cup is not much better, with premature defeats to Sheffield Wednesday, Blackburn Rovers and Peterborough United curtailing any ambitions the fans might have had.
With Benitez having been drafted in, perhaps the club might start to take some cups seriously as opposed to viewing them as an unnecessary distraction.
Take a look at five of Benitez’s greatest cup wins.
Liverpool 04/05 – Champions League
Arguably Rafa Benitez’s finest hour in management arrived 11 years ago when he masterminded a turnaround in fortunes for a Reds side who trailed a star-studded AC Milan 3-0 in a one-sided Champions League final.
Jamie Carragher claimed that Benitez was the only sane head in the dressing-room at half-time and his calmness relaxed others. Steve Finnan was replaced with Dietmar Hamann brought on, and the Reds somehow conspired to score three goals in six crazy second-half minutes.
They would go on to win the game on penalties, leaving the Milanese utterly dumbfounded as to how they managed to throw away such a game.
Chelsea 12/13 – Europa League
Benitez and Roberto Di Matteo will lock horns at Villa Park next week but just three seasons ago they were employees of Chelsea. The Spaniard had been brought in as Di Matteo’s interim successor in late 2013, much to the objection of Chelsea fans following a frosty relationship they shared with Benitez dating back to his time with Liverpool.
He spent just over six months at Stamford Bridge but steered the club to Europa League success a year after their Champions League crown. Beating Sparta Prague, Steau Bucharest, Rubin Kazan and FC Basel en route to the final, it took a last-minute winner from Branislav Ivanovic to down Benfica and seal the cup.
Valencia 03/04 – UEFA Cup
The 03/04 season had been a stellar campaign for Valencia, romping to a league title ahead of Barcelona and Real Madrid and scooping some European silverware in the form of the UEFA Cup.
Liverpool had already taken notice of Benitez after his slick outfit dumped the club out of the competition the previous season so this campaign served only to confirm their hopes for him.
Wins over AIK, Maccabi Haifa, Besiktas, Genclerbirligi, Bordeaux and Villareal saw them progress to the final where goals from Vicente and Miguel Mista saw off the challenge of Didier Drogba’s Marseille.
Liverpool 05/06 – FA Cup
It will forever be remembered as the ‘Steven Gerrard Final’ following the captain’s assist and two goals, including a last-minute screamer, in a pulsating 3-3 draw with West Ham.
The Irons had looked as though they were going to lift the cup after taking an early lead at the Millenium Stadium via Jamie Carragher’s own goal and Dean Ashton. Cisse restored parity before Gerrard levelled matters, but when Paul Konchesky’s floated cross somehow ended up in the top corner, Reds supporters must have felt this wasn’t going to be their day.
But with seconds remaining, Gerrard smashed home a long-distance effort to force extra-time where they once again lifted a trophy on penalties.
Napoli 12/13 – Coppa Italia
By the end of Benitez’s first season in Naples, he would have lifted a trophy. Wins over Atalanta, Lazio and Roma preceded the final showdown with Fiorentina at the Stadio Olimpico. Fan violence marred the occasion somewhat, but Napoli ran out comfortable owners with Lorenzo Insigne (2) and Dries Mertens bagging in a 3-1 victory.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
