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- Seven Dials
- Seven Dials
- Orion
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12hr 0m
A Season on the Brink: Rafael Benitez, Liverpool and the Path to European Glory
Guillem Balague
Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Spain, Biography: general, Biography: sport, Autobiography: sport, Prose: non-fiction, Football (Soccer, Association football)
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Imprint
Seven Dials
- Paperback Jul 29, 2025 | 9781399626668 | RRP $26.99 Buy Now
- Audiobook May 1, 2025 | 9781399627399 | RRP $44.99 Buy Now
- e-Book Aug 25, 2011 | 9781409138143 | RRP $16.99 Buy Now
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Imprint
Seven Dials
- Paperback Jul 29, 2025 | 9781399626668 | RRP $26.99 Buy Now
- Audiobook May 1, 2025 | 9781399627399 | RRP $44.99 Buy Now
- e-Book Aug 25, 2011 | 9781409138143 | RRP $16.99 Buy Now
Play Sample0:00 -
Imprint
Orion
- Paperback Jul 29, 2025 | 9781399626668 | RRP $26.99 Buy Now
- Audiobook May 1, 2025 | 9781399627399 | RRP $44.99 Buy Now
- e-Book Aug 25, 2011 | 9781409138143 | RRP $16.99 Buy Now
Play Sample0:00
The exclusive inside account of Liverpool's historic 2005 Champions League triumph under Spanish football manager Rafael Benitez from the award-winning Sunday Times bestseller, Guillem Balague
'ENTHRALLING' FourFourTwo
'STIRRING' Dublin Herald
'FASCINATING' Red and White Kop
'ASTONISHING' Bleacher Report
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 micer 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.
Guillem Balague
Guillem BalaguA is an award-winning author, football journalist and presenter who works for BBC TV, BBC Radio 5 Live, ITV, LaLiga TV and the American network CBS.
His books include A Season on the Brink; Pep Guardiola: Another Way of Winning; Messi; Cristiano Ronaldo; Brave New World: Inside Pochettino's Spurs; Maradona: The Boy, The Rebel, The God; Rise of the Villans: Inside Unai Emery's Aston Villa Revolution and BarA a Captains: The Leaders That Built the World's Greatest Football Club. Several of Guillem's books have been Sunday Times bestsellers in the UK, and shortlisted for various book awards.
He is also chairman of Biggleswade United.
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