Back in 2009 when in charge at Liverpool, Rafa memorably got his knickers in a knot over Sir Alex Ferguson’s psychological poking about the fairness of the fixture list. That day Benitez came armed to the teeth with “facts” but ended up bemusing most who listened. Most, apart from the Manchester United fans who simply unfurled a banner at their next game which pithily stated: “Top of the league. And that’s a fact.”

Benitez has verbally wrestled with Roy Hodgson and Marco Materazzi and taken on the whole of Everton Football Club during his time in English football but he has saved his most revealing confession for last. It is ironic too that it is the first to contain a “fact” (of his departure from the Bridge) even if is it not at all a surprising one.