Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final clash between Chelsea and City will be a contest between two top teams of England, both having enjoyed success in the last few years.
Through the years, both teams have managed to choreograph absorbing football matches and produce exceptional players, with the help of their wealthy owners who have provided finances whenever needed.
Currently, both clubs are being managed by highly reputable mangers, which have always chased major trophies for whichever clubs they have managed.
Chelsea’s interim manger Rafa Benitez started his football career as a player playing for various Spanish clubs at the youth level and even representing the U-19 Spain national team.
At the age of 26, he joined Real Madrid’s coaching staff and won three league titles as manager of Real Madrid Youth B. He kept progressing as a coach at Madrid, later becoming assistant to Vincent del Bosque who was manager of the senior team. His appointment as manager of Real Valladolid was rather unsuccessful, as he was sacked after winning just two games out of 23.
After some more stints with several other clubs, Benitez joined Valencia in 2001. He led the club to a UEFA Champions League final in 2001, a match that was lost on penalties to Bayern Munich. In 2002, Valencia won its first league title in thirty one years, as Benitez introduced a more attacking style of play. The next season saw another La Liga victory and UEFA Cup win as well.
However, differences with the club’s director of football forced Benitez to resign in June 2004.
His next destination was Liverpool, a club with which he won four trophies including a famous UEFA Champions League victory. He brought several influential players into the squad, including the likes to Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso.
With Liverpool falling to 7th place in his final season, Benitez’s contract was terminated. His short stint at Inter Milan saw the club raise the Supercoppa Italiana and FIFA Club World Cup trophies. In November 2012, he joined Chelsea as its interim manager till the end of the season.
Roberto Mancini’s playing career can best be remembered from his time at Italian club Smapdoria, where he featured in over 500 games and won several trophies. As a manager, he delivered four Coppa Italia trophies with three different clubs including the likes of Fiorentina, Lazio and Inter Milan. With Inter, he also managed to win three Serie A titles and two Supercoppa Italiana trophies. However, with massive financial support for English club Manchester City, a desire to win big and create a lasting impact on Europe’s football map arose, and this is where Mancini stepped in.
Mancini has been relied upon by City’s owners to build a strong squad and gel together a team that can be strong force in football. With City he has won last season’s Premier League, an FA Cup and a FA Community Shield.
Mancini is a strong believer of harvesting a solid defense, as not conceding goals logically increases chances of winning matches. Under him, City has built a reputation of being well organized at the back, the fruits of which the club for last season. Benitez’s approach is centred more upon exploiting the opposition’s weaknesses and frequent squad rotation to keep the opponents guessing.
Both the managers have enjoyed a long history and in the course have helped their teams win some major titles. Benitez has won nine major titles in senior manager career and has twice been voted as the UEFA manager of the year in two consecutive years; 2003-04, 2004-05.
Mancini on the other hand, apart from being a prolific player has also been an exceptional manager having won 12 major titles in his career the majority of which have come in Italy.
With both managers eager to deliver for their clubs and with considerable managerial experience, Sunday’s semi-final can be expected to be a nail-biter.
Currently, both clubs are being managed by highly reputable mangers, which have always chased major trophies for whichever clubs they have managed.
Chelsea’s interim manger Rafa Benitez started his football career as a player playing for various Spanish clubs at the youth level and even representing the U-19 Spain national team.
At the age of 26, he joined Real Madrid’s coaching staff and won three league titles as manager of Real Madrid Youth B. He kept progressing as a coach at Madrid, later becoming assistant to Vincent del Bosque who was manager of the senior team. His appointment as manager of Real Valladolid was rather unsuccessful, as he was sacked after winning just two games out of 23.
After some more stints with several other clubs, Benitez joined Valencia in 2001. He led the club to a UEFA Champions League final in 2001, a match that was lost on penalties to Bayern Munich. In 2002, Valencia won its first league title in thirty one years, as Benitez introduced a more attacking style of play. The next season saw another La Liga victory and UEFA Cup win as well.
However, differences with the club’s director of football forced Benitez to resign in June 2004.
His next destination was Liverpool, a club with which he won four trophies including a famous UEFA Champions League victory. He brought several influential players into the squad, including the likes to Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso.
With Liverpool falling to 7th place in his final season, Benitez’s contract was terminated. His short stint at Inter Milan saw the club raise the Supercoppa Italiana and FIFA Club World Cup trophies. In November 2012, he joined Chelsea as its interim manager till the end of the season.
Roberto Mancini’s playing career can best be remembered from his time at Italian club Smapdoria, where he featured in over 500 games and won several trophies. As a manager, he delivered four Coppa Italia trophies with three different clubs including the likes of Fiorentina, Lazio and Inter Milan. With Inter, he also managed to win three Serie A titles and two Supercoppa Italiana trophies. However, with massive financial support for English club Manchester City, a desire to win big and create a lasting impact on Europe’s football map arose, and this is where Mancini stepped in.
Mancini has been relied upon by City’s owners to build a strong squad and gel together a team that can be strong force in football. With City he has won last season’s Premier League, an FA Cup and a FA Community Shield.
Mancini is a strong believer of harvesting a solid defense, as not conceding goals logically increases chances of winning matches. Under him, City has built a reputation of being well organized at the back, the fruits of which the club for last season. Benitez’s approach is centred more upon exploiting the opposition’s weaknesses and frequent squad rotation to keep the opponents guessing.
Both the managers have enjoyed a long history and in the course have helped their teams win some major titles. Benitez has won nine major titles in senior manager career and has twice been voted as the UEFA manager of the year in two consecutive years; 2003-04, 2004-05.
Mancini on the other hand, apart from being a prolific player has also been an exceptional manager having won 12 major titles in his career the majority of which have come in Italy.
With both managers eager to deliver for their clubs and with considerable managerial experience, Sunday’s semi-final can be expected to be a nail-biter.
