Spanish Liverpool: The Untold Story of how Rafa Benítez Conquered Europe and Revolutionised the English Game is available now
Morgan King Content Creator
01:00, 07 Sep 2026
Captain Steven Gerrard and manager Rafael Benitez of Liverpool lift the Champions League trophy (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
Spanish journalist and author, Sergio Andrés Medina, is launching a new book making the case for Rafael Benítez‘s tenure at Liverpool as a watershed moment for both English and Spanish football.
Spanish Liverpool: The Untold Story of How Rafa Benítez Conquered Europe and Revolutionised the English Game explores the glorious and at times chaotic Benítez era on the Red half of Merseyside, and is packed with lesser-known and previously-unheard stories from the players and games that defined the six years Liverpool spent with the Spaniard at the helm.
Benítez replaced Gerard Houllier in the summer of 2004, having won two LaLiga titles and the UEFA Cup with Valencia. Known for his meticulous tactical planning, Benítez masterminded Liverpool’s unforgettable Champions League success in Istanbul in his first season in charge – the Reds battling back from 3-0 behind at half time against a star-studded AC Milan to win the biggest trophy in club football against all the odds.
Though Liverpool went on to win the UEFA Super Cup later that year and the FA Cup and Community Shield in 2006 – as well as reaching another Champions League final in 2007 and running Manchester United close for the league title in 2009 – Istanbul proved to be the high point of Benítez’s six-year tenure.
Despite winning six further trophies at four clubs since leaving Liverpool in 2010, Benítez proved unpopular during spells at Inter, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Everton – only forming a close bond similar to the one he enjoys with Liverpool supporters during a three-year stint as Newcastle United manager, in which he secured the Magpies’ promotion back to the Premier League.
But Spanish Liverpool argues that Benítez is deserving of greater recognition from the wider footballing world for paving the way for Spanish coaches and players to make their presence felt in English football, as well as laying some of the groundwork for the Spanish national team’s run of success including Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012.
Benítez became the first Spanish coach to manage a Premier League side when he arrived at Liverpool. At the start of the 2026-27 season, a quarter of Premier League managers are Spanish: Liverpool’s new head coach Andoni Iraola, current champion Mikel Arteta (Arsenal), former Benítez signings at Liverpool Xabi Alonso (Chelsea) and Álvaro Arbeloa (Fulham), and Aston Villa‘s Unai Emery.
Sergio Andres Medina with a copy of his book, Spanish Liverpool(Image: Reach Sport)
The book also paints a colourful picture of Benítez’s rivalry with Jose Mourinho as Chelsea manager, pointing to the tense, tactical battles between the two sides as a precursor to the kinds of games that have become commonplace in the Premier League in more recent years.
Andrés Medina – who previously authored Real Madrid and Spain legend Raul’s biography in 2021 – is interested in 1990s and 2000s football and predominantly works as a Madrid-focused reporter but, along with many other Spaniards, he developed a second love in the shape of Liverpool thanks to his appreciation for The Beatles and the influence of Benítez.
Speaking on the Blood Red Podcast, Andrés Medina said: “22 years ago, when Benítez went [to Liverpool], becoming the first [Spanish manager in the Premier League] – the pioneer for all these years later after his adventure at Liverpool, on Merseyside – that roster of players caught my eye.
“Because although I am a Real Madrid supporter, my main team is the Spanish national team – and over there, in those years, around four or five players playing for Liverpool were the main body of the Spanish national team.
“And maybe because a bit also, one of my favourite footballers is Fernando Morientes – former Real Madrid, former Liverpool, former Monaco, Valencia, Zaragoza player – once he signed for Liverpool, in that unforgettable season 2004-05, although he didn’t play any minutes in the Champions League because he had already played with Real Madrid.
“Because of Morientes, because of Liverpool and The Beatles and because of Benítez and all those guys such as Luis Garcia, [Antonio] Nunez, Josemi, and for sure the genius Xabi Alonso.
“That all was like a blend for not just me, but for thousands of Spaniards, that we supported Liverpool – although we were keeping supporting our teams; Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico [Madrid], whichever team – but also, in those years, Liverpool became our second team to support.”
With the arrivals of former Rayo Vallecano boss Iraola, who is from the Basque Country, and new signing Victor Munoz, a Catalan who cut his teeth at Real Madrid, Spanish football fans’ eyes could well be fixed on Liverpool once again in the hopes of witnessing another successful era.
Spanish Liverpool tells the full story of Benitez’s time at Anfield, from the highs of Istanbul to the lows of Hicks and Gillett’s ownership(Image: Reach Sport)
Spanish Liverpool (Reach Sport, £10.99) is on sale now. Join author Sergio Andrés Medina & Guillem Balagué for a talk at Waterstones on October 8. Tickets are available here.