A YEAR ago, Rafa Benitez was dealing with Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Luka Modric on Real Madrid’s pre-season tour of Australia and the Far East.
Tonight, the Newcastle boss will open the Championship campaign at Fulham’s Craven Cottage — with less glamorous names like Dwight Gayle on his team sheet.
But Benitez insists that he has prepared as intensely on Tyneside as he did at the Bernabeu.
He said: “This pre-season has been more football orientated than last season, which was about business and marketing.
“We have prepared the players in the same way. The Real Madrid players were very good professionals.
“I had no problems with them. The only problem was the press inventing stories. Believe me, we trained very well.”
Related Stories
Benitez was unable to save the Toon from relegation last season, after taking over from Steve McClaren with just two months of the term remaining.
But the Spaniard decided to stay after he was won over by the passionate support.
And the former Liverpool chief has warned Magpies fans an immediate return to the Premier League will not be easy.
Benitez added: “People are saying it will be the same as the last time Newcastle were promoted in 2010 — but it is different now.
“There are a lot of owners spending big money, the prize of the Premier League is so great everyone wants to have a chance.
“We will lose games, draw games — but in the end we have to be where we want to be.”
And Fulham’s Sone Aluko told Toon fans they will struggle on the road this season.
Aluko joined the Cottagers this summer from Hull, where he had just won promotion to the Premier League for the second time.
The striker said: “Away from home, it’s going to be a long season.
“It was for us at Hull last time. It took us a long time to get our away form right. Teams are fully up for it because you are a big scalp.”
Newcastle are keen on Ipswich and Republic of Ireland striker David McGoldrick, 28.
But they have so far refused to meet the Tractor Boys’ £6million asking price because of the player’s recent injury record.
Leave a comment