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There are several of Rafael Benitez’s excellent Liverpool team of the late 2000’s who have followed their former boss into the world of coaching.

Benitez was a notoriously meticulous tactician, masterminding what is perhaps the most famous win in Reds history: the miracle of Istanbul.

From there, the Spaniard built a Liverpool squad who would often challenge for the Premier League title as well as the Champions League.

The best of those teams was the 2008/09 edition.

Photo by Marcio Machado/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

Riera has been trying his hand at coaching away from the spotlight of the top five European leagues.

Nevertheless, since taking charge of Slovenian side Olimpija Ljubljana in 2022, the Spaniard has proven himself to be an adept leader.

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Riera won the league and cup double in his first season with Olimpija, but left having not been offered a new contract.

From there, the 42-year-old joined Bordeaux, but the French side’s much publicised financial struggles meant that was always going to be difficult.

After leaving Bordeaux in 2024, he joined another Slovenian team – NK Celje last July.

After losing out in the early rounds of Champions League qualifying to Celtic, Celje were entered into the Europa Conference League.

READ MORE: He left teammates laughing at how bad he was in training but ended up winning the Champions League with Liverpool

Having snuck through in 21st position in the table, Celje were drawn against Swiss side Lugano in the last-16.

And after winning 1-0 in Slovenia, Riera’s team were involved in a hectic 5-4 loss during Thursday’s night’s away leg.

With the scores tied after 120 minutes, the game went to penalties, with Celje emerging as 3-1 winners.

But after becoming the first Slovenian team to make it to the last eight in a European competition, they will not care one bit.

It’s always nice to see former Liverpool players do well once they leave Anfield.

Although he was a regular in the 08/09 team which came so close to winning the Premier League, he fell out with Benitez in the following season and left along with his countryman that summer.

“He has never sorted out a situation with a player by talking with him.
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