Former Liverpool, Chelsea, and Real Madrid manager Rafa Benitez has dismissed claims that Cristiano Ronaldo played a role in his exit from the Santiago Bernabéu.
Speaking in an interview with MBC Masr 2, Benitez addressed long-standing speculation about a rift with the Portuguese forward during his 2015/16 stint with Los Blancos.
“It’s not true that I left Real Madrid because of Cristiano Ronaldo,” he said. “There was never any issue between us. He’s a fantastic player and a phenomenon.”
The Spanish coach clarified that his departure was due to internal challenges within the club, unrelated to Ronaldo.
Benitez also took a moment to praise Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, highlighting the Egyptian’s ongoing excellence on the pitch.
“He makes a difference in every game,” he said. “When a player takes care of himself and keeps performing at this level, age doesn’t matter. Of course Salah deserves to win the Ballon d’Or—why not?”
