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New Chelsea boss Benitez shrugs off Blues boos
25 Nov 2012 20:01:00
The coach was subject to intense jeering before the game had even started at Stamford Bridge as well as banners protesting about his appointment after Roberto Di Matteo's sacking
Rafael Benitez has shrugged off the booing directed at him before Chelsea's 0-0 draw with Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.Blues fans sang songs in favour of ex-boss Roberto Di Matteo, before unleashing more boos and jeers when the Spaniard came out of the tunnel at the beginning of the game.
But despite the hostile start to his tenure in west London, Benitez insists he is giving his full attention to what happens on the pitch, and is not concerned by the reaction of some of the club's supporters.
"I can guarantee you that, because I am focused on the game, I don't listen to the crowd," he told Sky Sports.
"I don't know if they say something or not. For me the main thing was the team and the performance from the team on the pitch.
"You could see my body language on the dug-out I was just controlling it, trying to give instructions to my players and that's it."
The game itself was a poor encounter, with neither side stamping their authority on proceedings, and Benitez acknowledged that a draw was probably a fair result.
"It was a tough game against a good team," the 52-year-old added.
"It was a tough game and it's not the ideal result in the end, but against a top side to have a clean sheet first time and see the team, the way the team spirit, the mentality, the work rate, I think it was quite positive.
"Clearly you could see they were trying really hard, with and without the ball. There was positivity in the team that normally has quality.
"When you are defending, you don't work so hard. But they were working and they were trying and we had some chances against a great team; they have some chances too, but you could see the team spirit, the mentality, was there."
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