![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/liverpool-flop-alberto-aquilani-opens-up-on-anfield-struggles-and-anger-at-rafa-benitez/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/0_GettyImages-89768433.jpg&description=Alberto Aquilani arrived at Liverpool in 2009 with a big reputation but ultimately failed to deliver and has admitted to being frustrated with Rafa Benitez, who was his manager at Anfield Liverpool flop Alberto Aquilani admits he was "angry" with Rafa Benitez for his lack of minutes before the Spaniard's sacking began his demise at the Reds. The Italian moved to Anfield in the summer of 2009, effectively serving as a replacement for Xabi Alonso, who left to join Real Madrid. Alonso had been the engine room of the Liverpool midfield and Aquilani had big shoes to fill but ultimately found minutes hard to come by. He had to adapt to the Premier League and injury also didn't help his cause. Benitez though often turned to other options and Aquilani was dealt a further blow when the Spanish tactician was axed after a poor year - and the Italian never felt like he was fancied by the new manager, Roy Hodgson. The former Red told the Echo: 'It was a good, good team. And a good coach, but sometimes I was angry with the coach because he didn't play me too much. I finished that season and I was focused. First season I was injured and it was my first season out of Italy, but now I have another season. 'You have to know, when you go to a new team, maybe you need one year more. For me the year was not too bad. It was not too bad because the situation was bad. The reality is the time I lost is too much but when I was there, the feeling with the club, with the players, with the coach was good so okay, next season will be good. 'But what happened? Rafa was gone and in came Roy Hodgson. In came a new sporting director, Damien Comolli, and obviously they wanted to bring in their players. I was there, I was contracted but I was not their player.' Aquilani was immediately loaned out to Juventus, where he was a regular. Despite that Liverpool opted to send the Italian out once again the following season, this time to AC Milan before Fiorentina signed him permanently, meaning he'd only pla){kind=link}
Alberto Aquilani arrived at Liverpool in 2009 with a big reputation but ultimately failed to deliver and has admitted to being frustrated with Rafa Benitez, who was his manager at Anfield
Liverpool flop Alberto Aquilani admits he was “angry” with Rafa Benitez for his lack of minutes before the Spaniard’s sacking began his demise at the Reds.
The Italian moved to Anfield in the summer of 2009, effectively serving as a replacement for Xabi Alonso, who left to join Real Madrid. Alonso had been the engine room of the Liverpool midfield and Aquilani had big shoes to fill but ultimately found minutes hard to come by.
He had to adapt to the Premier League and injury also didn’t help his cause. Benitez though often turned to other options and Aquilani was dealt a further blow when the Spanish tactician was axed after a poor year – and the Italian never felt like he was fancied by the new manager, Roy Hodgson.
The former Red told the Echo: “It was a good, good team. And a good coach, but sometimes I was angry with the coach because he didn’t play me too much. I finished that season and I was focused. First season I was injured and it was my first season out of Italy, but now I have another season.