The winger drew the ire of the Spanish manager for falsely stating that he spoke English before moving to Anfield
Maxi Rodriguez has revealed that he lied about speaking English to Rafa Benitez when the manager brought him to Liverpool, prompting the former Reds boss to call him a “son of a b****” after the winger’s transfer went through.
Rodriguez moved to Liverpool from Atletico Madrid in 2010 after shining for Newell’s Old Boys, Espanyol and Atletico Madrid while establishing himself with Argentina.
He completed a transfer to the Reds in January 2010, moving on a free to join Benitez’s team at Anfield
Prior to sealing that move, Benitez looked to Rodriguez for assurance that the winger could speak English and fit in with his new team-mates.
Rodriguez said that he did, and Benitez didn’t find out that the Argentine had lied until moments before his introductory press conference.
“I was very happy at Atletico because I was the captain and I knew the city, but I was always crazy about English football,” Rodriguez told former team-mate Juan Pablo Sorin on Instagram live.
“Rafa told me that it was very important that everyone spoke English in the changing room. “He asked me if I could and I said ‘yes,’ to be calm. Of course, I didn’t want the transfer to collapse!
“We arrived in England and I had the press conference. He [Benitez] said he would start and then I would follow.
“It was then that I grabbed him and told him, ‘Look Rafa, I need to confess: I don’t speak English.The only thing I can say is hello’.
“I didn’t want the transfer to move to fall through! He replied: ‘No, you are a son of a b—-.’
“We both laughed and then, well, I then had to learn!”
Rodriguez went on to make 73 appearances for Liverpool while scoring 17 goals during his time at Anfield.
He was a member of Liverpool’s League Cup-winning team in 2011-12 and headed back home to Argentina to feature for two stints with Newell’s Old Boys with time at Uruguayan side Penarol in between.
Liverpool currently sit atop the Premier League with most European competitions suspended due to the coronavirus.
The Reds amassed a 25-point lead, having lost just once and drawn just once this season.
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