Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has launched a tirade against former club Valencia, alleging he was forced out of the Spanish club by a lack of support.
Benitez quit Valencia after leading the club to a Spanish league and UEFA Cup double last term, but his former club are now threatening to take legal action against him for breach of contract.
When asked why he left, Benitez told Marca: “Obviously through lack of support and not being valued.
“Some people want to spread the idea that my relationship with the club is bad, but I am very grateful to Valencia and their fans.
“However, the person (Llorente) who negotiated with my agent did not have much interest in me continuing at the club but now we seem like the bad guys.
“He (Llorente) took the negotiations for two months and all the evidence and testimonies indicated that he was simultaneously interested in other coaches when I still had a year on my contract.
“Two months of negotiations is enough time for you to realise the interest and valuation they have of you.”
“It’s incredible that they can demand damages from us when the president, Mr Orti, said in an interview that there was no bad intention from me and that I had not caused damage to the club.
“I believe it is a strategy to get some money from Liverpool and I don’t understand it.
“I can only think the explanation is that someone wants to try and justify their errors and they have been made to believe that doing it through the courts makes it look like they are being strong to the fans.
“I believe that the majority of the (Valencia) fans have realised what was going on and events since have proved the lack of support we had.”
Benitez also admitted that Liverpool were not the only club interested in securing his services.
“Of the options I had it (Liverpool’s) was the most attractive in terms of the project and length of the contract.
“There were others that were better economically, but it was the most interesting on a sporting level.
“Despite the misinformed rumours that have come from the club (Valencia) that (going back for players) is not my intention.
“I don’t want the fans to think that I want to do damage to the Valencia. Only if there was interest from both sides would I consider it.”
