Brendan Rodgers Not Scared Of Rafael Benitez

[Folami David]

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insists he is not
intimidated by Rafael Benitez as the Chelsea
manager prepares for an emotional return to Anfield
on Sunday.
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The walls at Anfield and also at Liverpool's Melwood
training ground are covered with iconic images of the
club's domestic and European triumphs during
Benitez's reign.
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Chief among them is the Champions League final
success in 2005, when Benitez's Liverpool side
famously fought back from 3-0 down against AC
Milan in Istanbul to win on penalties.
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But ahead of the Spaniard's first return to Liverpool
since his 2010 departure, Rodgers admitted he is not
unsettled trying to match Benitez's achievements.
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"They are not intimidating for me," Rodgers said
when asked about the pictures of Benitez.
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"I said to the players 'your job is to put yourself on
the wall here'.
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"If I was only worried about myself then maybe
having people around with great histories would
worry me. But it doesn't one bit.
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"This club is full of great legends with guys like Alan
Kennedy who work on match days, Ian Rush, Jan
Molby, John Aldridge, all great guys around the place.
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That doesn't intimidate me, I enjoy speaking with
these people."
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Benitez, who also won the FA Cup with Liverpool in
2006 and guided them to another Champions League
final defeat against AC Milan a year later, should get
a fine reception from his old club's supporters.
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However, there is a hint of tension in the relationship
between Rodgers and Benitez since the Spaniard,
whose family still live on Merseyside, expressed his
wish to one day return to Liverpool.
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"I don't know Rafael Benitez as a person. I know him
as a manager. He is a fantastic manager there's no
question about that.
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"Rafael Benitez will deserve a great welcome when
he comes back. He won the European Cup during his
time here, which is a great achievement."
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Benitez has found friends hard to come by at
Stamford Bridge following his controversial
comments about the Blues during his six-year reign
at Liverpool.
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So it would be little surprise if Liverpool supporters
sing his name far more often than their Chelsea
counterparts on Sunday.
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Benitez can't afford to be distracted by his emotional
return as Chelsea seek the three points that will
guarantee the Blues hold onto third place ahead of
the remaining five games of the campaign.
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Benitez's side showed impressive resilience in
recovering from the disappointment of losing the FA
Cup semifinal to Manchester City to beat Fulham 3-0
midweek.
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But with Arsenal, Tottenham and Everton also
contesting for the final two places in next season's
Champions League, a slip at Anfield could prove
costly to Chelsea's ambitions.