Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez has confirmed that he is ‘in contact’ with former Magpies midfielders Moussa Sissoko and Georginio Wijnaldum.
The two players weren’t able to prevent Benitez’s team from suffering relegation to the Championship in 2016. However, they are both now preparing for the Champions League final between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool on Saturday.
Benitez has provided an update on his relationship with the duo: “They were really good professionals from day one until the last minute,” he said, as per the Shields Gazette. “You think about one thing, who was the captain for us at this time? Sissoko.
“I made him the captain, because he was a really good professional who kept everybody working hard, so I understand the feelings of some fans who see them playing well or bad, but both players were good professionals. I’m still in contact with him and Gini. They were good players for us, but we were relegated and they had offers.”
OPINION
It is incredible that a Newcastle team containing a midfield with two players who are vital parts of this year’s Champions League finalists somehow managed to get relegated from the Premier League. That was an incredible achievement in its own, sad way. They were both decent enough players for the Magpies, but they’ve taken their games to new levels since making their switches to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Anfield respectively. Still, neither man pulled up any tress at St James’ Park during that relegation season. Wijnaldum often went missing in important games, while Sissoko couldn’t seem to put it all together as he has now done with Spurs. As for Benitez still being in contact with the duo, that’s to be expected. Benitez comes across like a good man and so it’s no surprise to hear he keeps in touch with two of his former players. He clearly has a good relationship with them. However, there’s nothing more to it than that.
