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Champions League Dreams
Champions League Dreams is a stimulating and deeply insightful football narrative by Rafa Benitez which focuses on the legendary manager's dramatic six Champions League campaigns with Liverpool. Rafa expertly navigates fans through intriguing European adventures that embrace the triumph and despair of two Champions League finals, three semi-finals and five quarter-finals in what was a golden era for the Anfield club - an era that supporters felt gave them their pride back after years in the wilderness. What sets Champions League Dreams apart is the unique ways in which Rafa allows fans into his high-pressured world, the fascinating glimpses he offers of a top manager's thought processes and decision making during the cut and thrust of a high-octane European campaign. Understand how a great manager prepares for, then executes, a master-plan for European success.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 13, 2012
About the author
Rafa Benítez
3 books2 followersRafael Benítez Maudes, más conocido como Rafa Benítez, es un entrenador español. Actualmente dirige al Newcastle United, equipo que participa en la Premier League, al obtener el ascenso en la temporada 2016/17.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 17, 2024
From 2002 till 2008 , Rafa was the Mourinho's alter ego in tactical reasoning and blocking; before Guardiola's rise ; the clash between Mourinho and Benitez was in nexus with the legendary matches between Karpov and Kasparov.
Their superior intelligence was not about destroying the opponent’s defensive phase through their offensive phase , but blocking the productivity of the opponent’s offensive phase through their defensive density and specific tasks and hitting with the offensive transition.
Too much blocking , too much density . too much rationalization, too much analytics, too much genius level.
This book shows the best Liverpool's tactical games during Benitez's era.
1.A profound explanation of the second half in the CL final against AC Milan.
How to block the offensive triangle Kaka-Sheva-Crespo with a three CBs + two DMs [Xabi+Hamann for construction , with Gerrard and Luis Garcia between the lines and Rise and Smicer offering wideness.
2. Before that, the semi-finals clashes against Mourinho , blocking Chelsea's construction from Cech through Makelele, leaving Galas to create(blocking all his pass options), consenting long balls for Drogba but winning the second balls.
This are only two of the many tactical tips and blocking traps.
Benitez was a great manager ; his Valencia's peculiar 4-2-3-1 created a lot of problems to the 4-4-2 defences in the beginning of the 2000ts.
Aimar's placement like a Trequartista behind the backs of the opponent's central midfielders , and not acting like a second striker was a metabolic anormality for the physiology of the tactical structures , producing rage in the heads of the tactical analysts.
Their superior intelligence was not about destroying the opponent’s defensive phase through their offensive phase , but blocking the productivity of the opponent’s offensive phase through their defensive density and specific tasks and hitting with the offensive transition.
Too much blocking , too much density . too much rationalization, too much analytics, too much genius level.
This book shows the best Liverpool's tactical games during Benitez's era.
1.A profound explanation of the second half in the CL final against AC Milan.
How to block the offensive triangle Kaka-Sheva-Crespo with a three CBs + two DMs [Xabi+Hamann for construction , with Gerrard and Luis Garcia between the lines and Rise and Smicer offering wideness.
2. Before that, the semi-finals clashes against Mourinho , blocking Chelsea's construction from Cech through Makelele, leaving Galas to create(blocking all his pass options), consenting long balls for Drogba but winning the second balls.
This are only two of the many tactical tips and blocking traps.
Benitez was a great manager ; his Valencia's peculiar 4-2-3-1 created a lot of problems to the 4-4-2 defences in the beginning of the 2000ts.
Aimar's placement like a Trequartista behind the backs of the opponent's central midfielders , and not acting like a second striker was a metabolic anormality for the physiology of the tactical structures , producing rage in the heads of the tactical analysts.
October 2, 2012
5 Stars obviously.
Great read, great times.
Great read, great times.
August 6, 2025
In this book, Rafa Benitez discusses all of his champions league campaigns in great detail as he analyses the key games he managed for Liverpool. He explains the game from the build up to the team talks to what happened after the game was well and truly over. He describes the matches very well in his own way. I really enjoyed the two Milan finals as they were rather interesting. This book does give lots of little details which help make the overall book better and fascinating. Rafa comes across as an intelligent and analytical person that really cares for this team. I originally wanted to read it due to wanting to find out more about the 2005 champions league final and it definitely didn't disappoint on that as I learnt a lot about that game. This book is definitely directed more at Liverpool fans but I enjoyed it a lot, despite not supporting Liverpool.
August 7, 2024
Good. Some of it is a little bit pointless and you feel the writer should just get straight to the point. But the book covers all the events well and has great Analysis
May 1, 2013
The 25th May 2005 is a date that is etched into my heart and a day that I will never forget. Throughout my childhood football had made me weep for all the wrong reasons but that night my tears were tears of joy. Rafa Benitez is a manager I had admired from his time in Valencia and I was delighted when he was appointed as manager of Liverpool. One thing that has always remained a bit of mystery however is what he is like underneath his professional facade.
This book details the Champions League campaigns Benitez presided over while at the helm at Liverpool. Fittingly the book starts and ends with the Champions League final in 2005. From the outset I could see that this book would be a little different to others I had read on the subject. It starts with Benitez detailing his still strong emotional attachment to the club, something that no doubt irritates Chelsea fans but is completely understandable. It is clear that he wants to return to the club one day and I would be delighted to have him back in the future.
There is a tactical breakdown of some of the bigger games that Liverpool played in the Champions League. On one hand I wish these were a little more detailed but at the same time I guess the book had to sell. These kind of tactical presentations only appeal to a small number of football fans, myself being one. What is included is very good though and things that didn't really make sense at the time are explained in detail. There are numerous glimpses into the person behind the suit such as the revelations that Rafa was made to wear lucky pants by his 6 year old daughter during the European games. Bright red underpants with the Tasmanian devil on them is not something that I would have associated with him.
There is also a lot of detail on what was happening behind the scenes with regards to the ownership of the club. It's plain to see that Benitez is still hurt by what happened. It can't have been easy dealing with owners who say one thing, do another and then won't even respond to emails or phonecalls for months. In the end, although he was told he would be staying he was offered a settlement while on holiday and told he was no longer wanted. After some deliberation Rafa decided that if the owners didn't want him he should step aside. The fact that a chunk of his settlement was donated to 2 local charities speaks volumes about the man.
This is a fantastic book and while I don't think fans of other clubs would enjoy it as much as a Liverpool fan would it is still an entertaining read for any football fan.
This book details the Champions League campaigns Benitez presided over while at the helm at Liverpool. Fittingly the book starts and ends with the Champions League final in 2005. From the outset I could see that this book would be a little different to others I had read on the subject. It starts with Benitez detailing his still strong emotional attachment to the club, something that no doubt irritates Chelsea fans but is completely understandable. It is clear that he wants to return to the club one day and I would be delighted to have him back in the future.
There is a tactical breakdown of some of the bigger games that Liverpool played in the Champions League. On one hand I wish these were a little more detailed but at the same time I guess the book had to sell. These kind of tactical presentations only appeal to a small number of football fans, myself being one. What is included is very good though and things that didn't really make sense at the time are explained in detail. There are numerous glimpses into the person behind the suit such as the revelations that Rafa was made to wear lucky pants by his 6 year old daughter during the European games. Bright red underpants with the Tasmanian devil on them is not something that I would have associated with him.
There is also a lot of detail on what was happening behind the scenes with regards to the ownership of the club. It's plain to see that Benitez is still hurt by what happened. It can't have been easy dealing with owners who say one thing, do another and then won't even respond to emails or phonecalls for months. In the end, although he was told he would be staying he was offered a settlement while on holiday and told he was no longer wanted. After some deliberation Rafa decided that if the owners didn't want him he should step aside. The fact that a chunk of his settlement was donated to 2 local charities speaks volumes about the man.
This is a fantastic book and while I don't think fans of other clubs would enjoy it as much as a Liverpool fan would it is still an entertaining read for any football fan.
June 7, 2013
In the finest of traditions, I must first declare an interest here - I love Rafa, rate him as one of the best managers in the modern game, hate that Liverpool let him go and replaced him with a man not fit to lace his shoes and will always be grateful for some of the finest footballing memories a fan could have.
With this in mind,you can imagine the excitement I was feeling as I started to read his account of THAT night in Istanbul, when a Liverpool side that had no right to be there over-turned a 3-0 deficit to be crowned champions of Europe for the fifth time.
His account of that night, the others that led his new club there, and the subsequent record of three semi-finals in four years, are told - as you would expect of the man - in great, meticulous detail.
He provides insights into his coaching methods, his relationships with certain managers and players (always respectful, no dirt to be dished here), and the problems he had to deal with behind the scenes as The Americans started to rip the club apart.
And the tactical insights are fascinating - not just for Liverpool fans, but all football fans. The training and preparation that goes into a penalty shoot-out, the differences that exist between league and European football - such things cross borders and are there to be devoured by all fans and scholars of the game.
The surprise with the book is how he allows his humour to poke through. Often misrepresented in the media, Rafa is actually a warm, caring person who likes a laugh (at the right time, obviously. He's probably got a spreedsheet telling him the optimum time to crack a funny). He happily talks about how he knows Luis Garcia scored because his secretary told him, or how Steven Gerrard got a lift home from a club celebration on the back of a milk float.
He is also, at times, unintentionally funny. While recounting the penalty shoot-out against AC Milan in 2005, he explains in detail where Jerzy Dudek should have dived for every penalty - and the use of the phrase "he obeyed" is as unintentionally funny as it is perfect in encapsulating the drive and control of the man.
The media never understood him (he didn't care), certain managers targeted him (he didn't care, but knew why), some players have questioned his methods - but what shines through is how he knows what he wants and he knows how to get it.
What this book also shows is that Rafa loves Liverpool, and he loves football.
And for that, you've got to love him back.
With this in mind,you can imagine the excitement I was feeling as I started to read his account of THAT night in Istanbul, when a Liverpool side that had no right to be there over-turned a 3-0 deficit to be crowned champions of Europe for the fifth time.
His account of that night, the others that led his new club there, and the subsequent record of three semi-finals in four years, are told - as you would expect of the man - in great, meticulous detail.
He provides insights into his coaching methods, his relationships with certain managers and players (always respectful, no dirt to be dished here), and the problems he had to deal with behind the scenes as The Americans started to rip the club apart.
And the tactical insights are fascinating - not just for Liverpool fans, but all football fans. The training and preparation that goes into a penalty shoot-out, the differences that exist between league and European football - such things cross borders and are there to be devoured by all fans and scholars of the game.
The surprise with the book is how he allows his humour to poke through. Often misrepresented in the media, Rafa is actually a warm, caring person who likes a laugh (at the right time, obviously. He's probably got a spreedsheet telling him the optimum time to crack a funny). He happily talks about how he knows Luis Garcia scored because his secretary told him, or how Steven Gerrard got a lift home from a club celebration on the back of a milk float.
He is also, at times, unintentionally funny. While recounting the penalty shoot-out against AC Milan in 2005, he explains in detail where Jerzy Dudek should have dived for every penalty - and the use of the phrase "he obeyed" is as unintentionally funny as it is perfect in encapsulating the drive and control of the man.
The media never understood him (he didn't care), certain managers targeted him (he didn't care, but knew why), some players have questioned his methods - but what shines through is how he knows what he wants and he knows how to get it.
What this book also shows is that Rafa loves Liverpool, and he loves football.
And for that, you've got to love him back.
January 18, 2016
4/5 stars. Probably of no interest to you unless you're a Liverpool fan, or an active admirer of Rafa Benitez, but since I'm both of those things, I really enjoyed it. An in-depth look at each of the huge scalps we claimed during the golden European spell under Benitez: Juventus, Chelsea, Barcelona, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Inter and AC Milan. Rafa also touches on life in general as the Liverpool manager and gives his side of the story behind such incidents as his "rant" and his departure from the club. Interesting and uplifting to remember all of those glorious occasions.
April 25, 2014
الكتاب مثل مخرجات دفتر مدرب يشرح فيه اللقاءات وتعامله مع بعض مجرياتها في تلك المسيرة لمجد اسطنبول
بينيتز استمر لمحاولة شرح اسباب النهاية السيئة لمسيرته مع ليفربول وتبريره بنقض وعود الملاك الأمريكيين له
بينيتز استمر لمحاولة شرح اسباب النهاية السيئة لمسيرته مع ليفربول وتبريره بنقض وعود الملاك الأمريكيين له
July 22, 2016
The guy oversaw some of our best European games and the book highlights some of the tactics used with illustrations.
I always prefer a manager's autobiography to a player's. Rafa does not disappoint, with analysis of match day preparations and how he managed in the face of adversity.
I always prefer a manager's autobiography to a player's. Rafa does not disappoint, with analysis of match day preparations and how he managed in the face of adversity.
October 9, 2013
Expertly and analytically written by an indisputable genius, fantastic read!
October 3, 2013
I really liked this book
It reminded me with the most crazy moments in the history of football.. Istanbul final in 2005!
It reminded me with the most crazy moments in the history of football.. Istanbul final in 2005!
July 24, 2015
Great insight into a football genius
For any kopite who wants to relive that one night in Istanbul. Great insight into the tactician and strategic mind of a legend of the club
For any kopite who wants to relive that one night in Istanbul. Great insight into the tactician and strategic mind of a legend of the club
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July 30, 2016Rafa's path into the Liverpool history books; written by the man himself.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews