Rafa Benitez: I can’t choose between Ronaldo or Bale

Rafa Benitez says choosing a favourite between Real Madrid forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale is like asking a child to pick between their father and mother.

Reports in Spain last season suggested the two most expensive players in the world didn’t see eye to eye, and some fans criticised the Welshman for being too selfish at times, preferring to shoot rather than pass to his Portuguese team mate.

Now, the pair will look to lead the team to glory this season, having missed out on major honours in the last campaign.

As a press conference in Australia, where Los Blancos are preparing to take on Roma in a pre season friendly, Benitez was asked to pick a favourite between the two.

And he responded: “You can ask my daughter if she prefers my wife or me. The father or the mother. It’s not easy. Ronaldo, Bale, all of them – they are so good. For me it’s not a problem. James, Isco, Benzema, Ronaldo or Bale, we have an option with all of them.

“Ronaldo is a key player for us, Gareth will be a key player for us. But the same will be Benzema, James, Isco, Kroos, Modric. We have a fantastic team. We have to keep improving the squad, keep working hard with the players that we have.”

He was then asked about whether he felt more pressure on him being in charge of the world’s most famous club compared to what he’s experienced as manager elsewhere.

And Benitez commented: “If you analyse what I have to do every day, it’s more or less the same. It’s a football team and you have to train, to coach, prepare the training sessions and (for) the game. So it’s more or less the same.

“Obviously you have more media, more people around watching you. For me it doesn’t change too much. I have to concentrate on my job and try to do my best in the things that I know. Coaching the team and trying to have a winning mentality. (I do) have an advantage. I know the city, I know the fans, I know the club. So that is an advantage.”