Rafael Benitez Quotes

The most important thing is that Spain have a good team no matter who plays. It is always nice to see your name spoken but the important thing is that the national team does well. But having good players for every position is important because there are always injuries, drops of form.

What I'm trying to say is that within the styles, first, there's something clear: the style is given by the players on the roster.

Pep Guardiola saw me as a central player in his system, which my style of play fit into perfectly.

Everyone's system in the NBA makes sense. It all comes down to the quality of player and the quality of execution.

Defending is not only done by the defenders, just as attacking is not only down to the forwards.

Andre Villas-Boas wasn't the ideal coach for me. He bought Gylfi Sigurdsson and then told me he would be his new No.10.

You can put the players on the pitch but they always move and systems change. I think, though, that Messi has to be a special case and that the other nine outfield players should support him. But one player on his own is not going to win you the World Cup.

This is the Italian national team; there's no need to give caps away. If the coach calls up certain players, it's because he's convinced they can give a big hand, and that's why I'm here.

If my forward arrives in a one vs one situation, I always say: 'let him work it out.' Then my players say: But we can help him!'. My reply is: First, there's a good chance you'll only run in his way, and as a second attacker you're drawing a second defender with you, and two vs two is harder than one vs one.'

In international football you have 10 games a season, with players from different clubs. There's no time for proper coaching; they're just recovering from playing on the Saturday.

If I was to play on the left, I'd rather play there if there was three in midfield.

Power is the main difference; it's more powerful in England. Referees are less strict than in France, teams like to play low and in counter-attack, and defenders in general are stronger than in France.

Do you think that a Franck Ribery can always expect to play? No. When he is not on form, he will not play.

I think there are different kinds of quarterbacks, and if you look at any offense, there are different kind of quarterbacks, but you play to the strengths of whoever the quarterback is for the team.

I always try to perform, and not because you have players on the bench or on the pitch that can play in your position.

Having fresh players is important.

Every matchup is very important regardless of who the bigs are, who the guards are.

The intensity and importance of each possession. That's the thing about the NBA that doesn't always translate to television.

If you are not playing a player, any player, for two, three, four games, then you don't have to give a reason for that. But if it gets to eight or nine games, then you have to explain the situation. What's going on?

Most teams won't really focus on one player because they've got multiple players to defend and that will open up a lot of things for me.

When you go through a tournament of seven games, there are peaks and valleys. You kind of ride the players that are hot.

In every team I have played with, and of all of the attackers I have played with, each one was different.

I've always preferred a 4-3-3. It's a more fluid and dynamic system, and I think it plays to my strengths better.

I stay in the middle and my team-mates can go to attack.

I thought I could go into Cardiff, but different clubs have different cultures, different playing styles and philosophies. I'm more suited to the other jobs I've had.