Spain rises for the Reds

By Andy Hall

When Rafael Benítez leads Liverpool FC out on to the pitch at Istanbul's Atatürk Olympic stadium for Wednesday's UEFA Champions League final against AC Milan, he can be sure of some strong support back home in Spain.

Spanish savvy
During the past eleven months, the former Valencia CF coach has set about revitalising a club that were regarded as fallen giants in European competition. He has led the team to the English League Cup final - which Liverpool lost against Chelsea FC - and masterminded their run to a first European Champion Clubs' Cup final in 20 years.

Ramos applauds
That achievement has certainly impressed those involved in Spanish football. "You have to applaud Rafa and congratulate him for the way he has handled the campaign," Sevilla FC centre-back Sergio Ramos told uefa.com. "At Liverpool he has assembled a team with great quality and they have got this far on their own merit."

Liverpool ethos
The 45-year-old Benítez embodies the Liverpool ethos - he is modest and discreet but possesses an excellent football brain and is aware of the current trends in the modern game. After Liverpool sealed victories against Juventus FC and Chelsea en route to Istanbul, losing coaches Fabio Capello and José Mourinho both acknowledged his tactical nous.

Anfield legend
In many ways, Benítez's obsession with information-gathering and tactics mirror those of his famous Anfield predecessor, Bill Shankly. The Scotsman was prone to turning up unannounced at Liverpool's Lime Street station to accompany supporters to away games, to chat to fans and get outside opinions about his squad.

Good listener
Benítez's methods are different - he is a keen collector of videotapes of his own team as well as opposing sides - but the principle is the same. He is an excellent listener and observer, which for someone raised in the hustle and bustle of a noisy capital like Madrid, is a rare virtue.

Local links
With Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona both having bowed out of the UEFA Champions League in March, the Spanish press have been only too happy to remind the world that Benítez is one of their own. Any Spanish link to Liverpool's success story, however tenuous, is being celebrated.

Favourite sons
While the general consensus in the Spanish press is still that Milan will win, Liverpool - with Spaniards Luis García, Xabi Alonso, Antonio Núñez, Fernando Morientes, Josemi and Spanish-speaking Argentinian defender Mauricio Pellegrino - are the team that local supporters will be backing.

Madrid angle
With a long tradition of rivalry between Spanish and Italian clubs, many locals in Benítez's home town of Madrid are backing the Merseysiders simply because Milan, who already have six European Cups, are encroaching fast on Los Merengues' record total of nine successes.

Interested party
Meanwhile, Spain coach Luis Aragonés will have his own reasons to hope for the best. He had wanted Xabi Alonso and Luis García to attend a meeting in Madrid on Monday to study video footage of their next rivals in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, but instead will be having to watch his charges in action from afar.

Xabi Road
That in itself will be a vindication for Liverpool midfield player Xabi Alonso. A year ago, he was considering a move to the Santiago Bernabéu, but chose to join the 'Rafalution' at Anfield instead. If Liverpool succeed on Wednesday, he will have proved his point and made a lot of Spaniards happy in the process.