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Rafa Benitez: How many trophies has Sam Allardyce won?

Real Madrid manager Rafa Benitez has hit back at claims from Sam Allardyce that he had nothing to do with Liverpool's 2005 Champions League success and questioned how many trophies the new Sunderland boss had won.

Allardyce wrote in his new autobiography "Big Sam" that Liverpool's stunning Champions League victory over AC Milan (with his side recovering from 3-0 down in the final in Istanbul) was "nowt to do" with Benitez and touched on the pair's long-running feud dating back to his time in charge at Bolton and Blackburn, which coincided with the Spaniard's stint at Liverpool from 2004-10.

However, Benitez dismissed Allardyce's remarks, and told Spanish radio station Onda Cero: "Do you know who Sam Allardyce is? Do you know how many trophies he has won? Well that's my answer. It is what happens when someone has a book to sell. His opinion does not have a lot of value.''

Benitez also revealed he was interested in signing Gareth Bale during his time at Anfield and rubbished claims from former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher that he did not sign the €100 million forward for the Reds because he rated John Arne Riise better.

"Back in 2006 I went to see Bolton-Southampton," Benitez added. "We transferred a player to Southampton but they wouldn't give us Bale.

"Then when we tried to buy him, we couldn't. I've known for a long time he was a great player. Carragher has made the mistake of saying I preferred Riise when it wasn't like that.''

Real have made a strong start to the season and are currently unbeaten, just a point off the top of the Primera Division, but Benitez has had to deal with questions over a perceived clash of egos between the Welshman and Cristiano Ronaldo.

"Coaches have to control a group of professionals but not what their agents say," he said. "I talk to the players and when there's a conflict, it's solved. There's no problem between Bale and Cristiano.

"Everything is magnified in Madrid. Sometimes it's out of jealousy or to attack. I am surprised.''

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