With coaching genius
the likes of Juventus’ Massimiliano Allegri, Manchester United’s Jose Mourinho, Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone, Real Madrid’s Julen Lopetegui, and former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.
Although Newcastle will be absent from European competition once again this season, Benitez’s repeat invitation arrives every year because the United manager has overseen more than 100 Champions League games as a coach during his career.
Managers who took charge of the sides that reached the last 16 of the 2017/18 Champions League, and those who advanced to the semifinals of the most recent Europa League competition, also receive an invite.
For Benitez, this is an opportunity for him to impart his unrivalled footballing knowledge – and to discuss with fellow experienced coaches how the game can be adapted for the better across Europe.
“It’s a great experience because you go there with a lot of managers who have great experience in Europe and in the top sides,” Benitez told nufcTV about his trip to Nyon.
“Then they have a different vision. For example we were talking about substitutions, and some of the other managers they were talking about: ‘Oh, maybe we can make six substitutions.’ But that’s because maybe they have six players on the bench that are so good, maybe it doesn’t matter too much who you play.
“Then you have another vision, another way from someone else, and then you analyse the statistics in the Champions League and the Europa League.
“We try to find ideas on how to improve the game, for example substitutions, or the value of goals when you play away, if it is double or not, or if you can play extra time without away goals. Things like that.
“One discussion last year was about whether you can play matches on grass only, or on synthetic pitches too.
“We talk about different things which can have an influence and something that we can change in football.”
Interestingly, the majority of coaches present agreed that European transfer windows should be harmonised so that they close before domestic seasons begin.
The Premier League opted to cease trading on the Thursday before the start of the 2018/19 campaign, while Italy’s window closed a week later – yet the majority of other European markets remained open until the end of August.
It is likely that Benitez will have been in favour of creating a coordinated cut-off point for transfer windows across Europe.
Both publicly and privately the Spaniard has supported the Premier League’s decision to close the window early, though he has stressed that other European leagues need to follow suit.
Also discussed at the meeting – which ran from 1pm to 5.50pm BST on Tuesday – was a proposal to scrap the away-goals rule in European competitions, as well as allowing a fourth substitution during extra time of those matches, and the potential introduction of Video Assistant Referees (VAR).
While Benitez acknowledges some of the proposals discussed will be difficult to implement, he clearly believes it is important that football continues to evolve with the times by embracing new technology, as long as the correct systems are in place for it to be utilised successfully.
“When you arrive, you have the press and the official picture to show that everyone is there,” Benitez explained when asked about how the conference works.
“Then afterwards you sit down and you have just private discussions between the coaches and the technical staff of UEFA.
“Then you start analysing what is going on, or what has been going on in the Champions League or Europa League, and also the idea about football: what will happen in the future, and how we can improve the game.
“VAR analysis is something which is very interesting now; it’s not just to do it, but to be in favour you need to know how we can do it. For example, how can you be in control, what do you need, do we need another referee, do we need two good referees controlling it so that they can pass on the information across.
“The interesting thing is that you can see at the World Cup the impact it can have. I remember we were talking about the goalline technology in the past; this season we conceded a goal which was 9mm over the line [against Tottenham Hotspur] because of the technology.
“In the past it’s just an idea; then, afterwards, you can see that it can help the game to improve.
“It’s not easy to bring in some of the new rules – for example to c l o s e the transfer window at the same time is difficult. England finished early, then Italy one week afterwards, and then after the rest of the transfer windows in the other countries were at the end of August. They had an advantage because they could go for players that you couldn’t go for anymore.
“All of these things, we have discussions and then we try to find solutions, ideas and then they pass this information to FIFA, and then afterwards they decide together.”
At the start of the conference, all the managers present sent their best wishes to Sir Alex Ferguson – a UEFA coaching ambassador – as the former Manchester United boss continues his recovery following brain surgery. Benitez had already publicly issued a get-well-soon message to his former managerial rival on at least two occasions. Having returned from Nyon, Benitez will spend the rest of the international break preparing his Newcastle side for the game against Arsenal.