Former Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has credited Spaniard Rafa Benitez for making him a better striker. Torres moved to Liverpool for around £ 26 million when Benitez was their manager. He went on to have three great years at the club during which time he was even regarded as the best strikers in the world. Many thought that he would go on and emulate the achievements of club legends like Ian Rush, but he immediately decided to leave for Chelsea in a £ 50 million deal. Since then, however, he has struggled for form and fitness.

Rafa Benitez came to Chelsea in order to work with Torres – for a brief period. In those six months, it appeared for his short spell that Torres would return back to his best. He scored in a run of matches, but it soon ended in disappointment after the striker suffered an injury. Despite this, the 30-year-old has credited the former Valencia and Liverpool manager for making him a better striker. He says that Benitez taught him how to make intelligent runs and avoid getting tired. Torres accepts that it is much better to make five good runs than just running about all day long.

The Benitez-Torres partnership with Chelsea did not last long, as the Spaniard left the club last summer.

“With Rafa, I learned to think about the best option to take in important moments. It is about teaching – everything he does gets you to think. I am sure that there are footballers who retire without ever having thought on the pitch. Rafa was very tactical. Before knowing him, I had the habit of running everywhere, no matter where. Five good runs into space are worth more than 100 in the wind,” said the Chelsea striker, who has scored just over 20 league goals since moving to Chelsea.