On November 25th 2012, Rafa Benitez took charge of Chelsea for the first time against Man City.
Benitez came in to replace the popular Roberto Di Matteo just six months after he took Chelsea to their first Champions League title.
The Italian didn’t have enough credit in the bank with Roman Abramovich and co.
Having managed Liverpool for six seasons, Benitez wasn’t a popular appointment with Chelsea fans, and it was that animosity that dominated an otherwise uneventful evening at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea fans made their feelings about Rafa Benitez clear
The game itself was a dull affair. It finished 0-0, with the Blues managing just one shot on goal.
But that wasn’t the worst part of Benitez’s Chelsea debut. It was the reception he got from the fans before a ball was kicked.
Chelsea fan holding a sign in condemnation of Rafa Benitez
Photo by AMA/Corbis via Getty Images
Between the new manager’s past affiliations and the love many fans had for his predecessor, the Spaniard was not well received at Stamford Bridge. John Terry has admitted he couldn’t stand Benitez.
After the game, he told Sky News he wasn’t taking it to heart, saying: “Clearly I understand the feeling of the fans. I know how they feel at the moment because of my time at Liverpool, we had a rivalry and it was quite difficult.
“At the same time I will try to prove to them that I am here for the right reasons. I will try to prove to them I want to win and, if I can do it, they will be pleased.”
The rest of Rafa Benitez’s Chelsea career
It was a strange appointment. Benitez left the club at the end of that season having failed to win over the fans.
Chelsea won the Europa League that season and finished third in the Premier League — not exactly a failure of a season.
There was a change of heart among some of the fanbase, who made sure to show their appreciation on his final day in the post.
Chelsea fan holding a sign in appreciation of Rafa Benitez
Photo by AMA/Corbis via Getty Images
But overall, it wasn’t a pleasant experience for either side. Benitez was angry when he left Chelsea, feeling as though he never should have been given the interim title.
Whatever the case, that first outing set a tone that continued throughout his short stint at Stamford Bridge.