Season on the Brink

The Sunday Times Bestseller Twentieth anniversary edition, fully updated with a new foreword from Rafael Benitez When Rafael Benitez was appointed manager of under-achieving Liverpool at the start of the 2004-05 season, the reaction of many fans was `Who the **** is Rafael Benitez?`. After a wonderful spell at Valencia, the Spaniard arrived to take over Liverpool`s famous Boot Room, determined to change the club`s fortunes and win over a disillusioned Kop. In just one season, Benitez`s importation of Spanish players, coaching methods and diet led to a revolution, usurping Jose Mourinho`s Chelsea to reach the European Champions League final in Istanbul. It was a match that would go down in history as one of the greatest of all time. At half-time, Liverpool were 3-0 down to Carlo Ancelotti`s AC Milan, a team many regarded as the best in the world, filled with stars such as Paolo Maldini, Kaka and Andrea Pirlo. However, against all the odds, Liverpool produced a stunning comeback, with goals from club captain Steven Gerrard, Vladimir Smicer and Xabi Alonso, before a dramatic penalty shoot-out saw the Reds clinch European glory. Featuring exclusive interviews with Benitez himself, assistant manager Pako Ayestaran and key first-team players, this is the behind-the-scenes story of Rafa`s remarkable success with Liverpool.