Liverpool return to Anfield on Tuesday night aiming to make it three wins from three in the Champions League, having already beaten Atletico Madrid and LASK.
Andoni Iraola will face a familiar opponent in Villarreal boss Inigo Perez, his former teammate and assistant, while victory would strengthen the Reds’ hopes of reaching the knockout stages.
Former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez will also return to Anfield as a pundit for Amazon Prime, joining Robbie Fowler and Daniel Sturridge for the broadcast.
Benitez enjoyed six successful years at Liverpool, winning the Champions League in 2005 and the FA Cup the following season before reaching another European final in 2007.
Fowler, affectionately known as ‘God’ by Liverpool supporters, scored 171 goals in 330 appearances during his first spell at the club.
Benitez brought the striker back to Anfield in January 2006, and Fowler went on to score 12 goals in 39 appearances during his second spell before retiring in 2012.
“Getting that chance to return to Liverpool was the best thing that ever happened to me in football,” Fowler admitted. “It was better than winning trophies.
“I got the chance to pull on a red shirt again and I probably appreciated it more. Rafa had said to me that he wanted me to come in and energise the players and the club and give everyone a lift – I’d like to think I did that.”
Another familiar face, Pepe Reina, will be watching closely. The former Liverpool goalkeeper made 302 appearances under Benitez and enjoyed two spells at Villarreal as a player. He now coaches the Spanish club’s Under-19 side.
Rafa Benitez was hailed as a Spanish messiah, a shrewd tactician who restored Liverpool’s standing among Europe’s elite and guided the Reds to one of the greatest triumphs in football history.
Appointed from Valencia ahead of the 2004/05 season to replace Gerard Houllier, Benitez enjoyed a remarkable first year in England, culminating in Champions League glory that cemented his place in Liverpool folklore.
While even the legendary Bill Shankly needed time to establish Liverpool as a major force, Benitez made an immediate impact.
Undeterred by a fifth-place Premier League finish, he defied expectations to lead the Reds to their fifth European Cup triumph in Istanbul.
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