Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has spoken for the first time about the departure of former assistant Pako Ayestaran from Anfield.
The departure of his fellow Spaniard has been cited as a major reason why the Reds have failed to mount a serious challenge in the Premier League this season, but Benitez insists he had no option but to tell his friend to leave the club.
He told The Times: "Pako was much more than a physical trainer, he was my friend and someone I trusted for many years. I worked with him for 11 years. It's a recent wound that still hurts.
"Liverpool gave him autonomy and power and I think that changed him a lot – he wanted more and more. One day I found out that he had serious contacts with other teams and that seemed to me a betrayal towards me and the club that I couldn't accept.
"He told me he wanted to leave the same day that we played against Toulouse, so I lost someone I trusted greatly, a key member of my staff at a crucial moment in the preseason."
And Benitez admits the club has taken time to recover from Ayestaran's exit, adding: "Logically, this has an effect on a team. The people that arrived had to adapt and familiarise themselves with a new environment.
"This meant that a transitional period started at the club, but we still managed to win games and play well. Then, when we started to draw games, people questioned our work.
"I believe that no one is irreplaceable and we have to keep moving forward. Paco de Miguel took over the role as physical trainer. Also, as a result, I have more of a presence around the team and try to have more involvement with the players."
The departure of his fellow Spaniard has been cited as a major reason why the Reds have failed to mount a serious challenge in the Premier League this season, but Benitez insists he had no option but to tell his friend to leave the club.
He told The Times: "Pako was much more than a physical trainer, he was my friend and someone I trusted for many years. I worked with him for 11 years. It's a recent wound that still hurts.
"Liverpool gave him autonomy and power and I think that changed him a lot – he wanted more and more. One day I found out that he had serious contacts with other teams and that seemed to me a betrayal towards me and the club that I couldn't accept.
"He told me he wanted to leave the same day that we played against Toulouse, so I lost someone I trusted greatly, a key member of my staff at a crucial moment in the preseason."
And Benitez admits the club has taken time to recover from Ayestaran's exit, adding: "Logically, this has an effect on a team. The people that arrived had to adapt and familiarise themselves with a new environment.
"This meant that a transitional period started at the club, but we still managed to win games and play well. Then, when we started to draw games, people questioned our work.
"I believe that no one is irreplaceable and we have to keep moving forward. Paco de Miguel took over the role as physical trainer. Also, as a result, I have more of a presence around the team and try to have more involvement with the players."
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